New Delhi, Dec 03: A high-level Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) delegation met with Union Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw in New Delhi on Tuesday, calling for the halting of trains at Samba, Ghagwal, Hiranagar and Manwal stations, citing the strategic importance of these locations.
The delegation, led by Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, included Member of Parliament Jugal Kishore Sharma and MLA Samba Surjeet Singh Slathia. They urged the expansion of the platform at Samba Railway Station and the expedited completion of the flyover at Gurah Slathia, in light of the increasing number of travellers and the need for improved amenities.
In a memorandum submitted to the Union Railway Minister, MLA Slathia highlighted the long-standing issues affecting these stations, noting that before the COVID-19 pandemic, trains arriving and departing from Samba and Ghagwal used to halt at these stations due to the high volume of boarding and deboarding passengers. However, this practice was discontinued for reasons unknown, causing significant inconvenience to travellers from the surrounding areas, he said.
Slathia said these stations have strategic importance, especially given the area’s industrial significance within Jammu and Kashmir.
Asserting the necessity of infrastructure upgrades, the MLA Samba, who also serves as the Pradesh BJP Vice President, called for the urgent expansion of the Samba Railway Station platform to accommodate more passengers. “While the Indian Railways is undertaking a nationwide infrastructure upgrade, Samba must be prioritised to improve facilities for waiting passengers,” he said.
The delegation also discussed the pending works of the Gurah Slathia flyover, urging the government to expedite the completion of the flyover project for the benefit of local commuters.
Following the meeting, MLA Slathia said that the Union Railway Minister appreciated the concerns raised and assured that they would be thoroughly examined for immediate resolution.
