Shimla, Aug 21
A bridge failure has silenced the whistle of the iconic Pathankot–Jogindernagar train, leaving both heritage lovers and daily commuters stranded — and sparking fresh debate on whether Himachal’s historic lifelines are being sacrificed to negligence and unchecked human activity.
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Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, responding to a question by Kangra MP Dr. Rajiv Bhardwaj in Parliament, admitted that train services have been suspended since August 20 after the Chakki Khad Bridge, between Dalhousie Road and Nurpur Road stations, was declared unsafe. Torrential rains battered the structure, but officials also conceded that unchecked mining activity along the Chakki riverbed had long been eroding its stability.
While repair work is said to be in its final stages, the closure has already altered the rhythm of daily life. Local traders who relied on the narrow-gauge line for movement of goods, and families who used it as an affordable link between Kangra, Chamba, and Mandi, now face disruptions. For tourists, the suspended services have dimmed one of Himachal’s rare heritage experiences — a train journey that not only threads through tea gardens and river valleys but also connects to the Shanan Hydropower Station, North India’s first hydroelectric project commissioned in 1932.
Observers say the Chakki Bridge episode is more than a story of a collapsed link — it highlights the dilemma of balancing heritage preservation with modern-day pressures. “This line is not just about nostalgia; it’s about connectivity and identity for the valley. Every time it shuts down, the region’s economy takes a hit,” remarked a local historian.
In a parallel update that underscored contrasting trajectories of infrastructure in the region, Union Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari informed the House that the Bhangwar–Kangra four-lane project is well on course. Fourteen kilometers of the 18-km stretch are complete, with the final segment expected by December 2025.
Together, the updates reveal a paradox: while modern highways speed ahead, Himachal’s historic lifelines remain vulnerable. For Kangra’s people, the hope is not only for a swift restoration of the Chakki Bridge but also for a more sustained vision where heritage infrastructure is guarded as diligently as new expressways are built.
