Amritsar rly station upgrade: 30 trains cancelled, labour class worst affected
JALANDHAR: Amid the ongoing electronic interlocking work at the Amritsar railway station, the labour class is facing a tough time in returning home due to shortage of trains at the Jalandhar railway station. The work in Amritsar has resulted in cancellation of at least 30 trains, and some others being diverted.
As per information, work of route relay interlocking (RRI) signalling system is underway at the Amritsar yard since July 19 and will go on till July 31.
The Ferozepur railway division officials stated that they had informed about the work well in advance.
Hundreds of migrant labourers were seen sitting on the railway platforms, waiting for trains at the Jalandhar city railway station. Only the Dirbanga-bound Jan Nayak Express is functioning from here.
Railway officials said that even the Jan Nayak Express will be non-functional from July 24 to July 29. The officials added that there are at least eight trains that go to states Bihar and Uttar Pradesh daily, but due to the ongoing work at the Amritsar yard the whole burden has come on a single train.
“There are other options of trains to these states from Jalandhar Cantonment station and other stations, but the labourers are either unaware of these or are economically weak and so prefer waiting at the city railway station,” an official at inquiry counter said, on condition of anonymity.
A labourer Daya Nand, who came to the city to looking for work due to the ongoing paddy cultivation season, said that he has been waiting for a train to return to Bihar since past fivesix hours.
“To curtail inconvenience to passengers, we have made appropriate arrangements. Amritsar-bound trains will finish their journey at Jalandhar and Phagwara, passengers can cover the remaining distance by road. The Shatabdi Express is being stationed at Mannawala station, near Amritsar; and Shan-e-punjab is scheduled to complete its journey in Beas,” railway officials said.
They added that the evening trains are functioning as the repair work is supposed to be done in the daytime only.
Station superintendent RK Behal said that the repair work is underway at Amritsar railway station due to which, public is facing some inconvenience. “Once the repair work is completed, by July 31, the problem will be solved,” he said.