THE JHARKHAND STORY NETWORK
Jamshedpur, Nov 21: A delegation from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) met with Ashwini Vaishnav, Railway Minister, to voice concerns and demand the continuation of the Tata-Amritsar Jallianwala Bagh Express train services. The closure of train numbers 18103 (up) and 18104 (down) from December 4, 2023, to March 1, 2024, due to weather conditions, has sparked protests from the delegation.
Representing the people of Kolhan, the delegation, led by the organisation Sanjhi Awaaz under the leadership of Satbir Singh Somu, highlighted the problems and hardships faced by passengers due to the temporary suspension of train operations.
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The following key points were emphasized during the meeting:
Tata Amritsar Jallianwala Bagh Express 18103 (up) and 18104 (down) will remain closed from December 4, 2023, to March 1, 2024, citing weather and fog as reasons. The delegation argued that the train, operating only two days a week, should run daily to meet the demand.
The delegation pointed out that the Jammu Tawi-Tatanagar train (18101 up and 18102 down) used to run daily before Covid-19, providing a vital transportation link for passengers travelling from Jharkhand’s Kolhan area to North India. However, after Covid-19, it now operates only two days a week, and the delegation urged for its daily operation.
Stressing the importance of railways for migrant labourers in Jamshedpur and the entire Kolhan region, the delegation highlighted that railways are the main means of transportation for people travelling to and from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Haryana and Punjab.
The delegation expressed concern for passengers travelling to religious destinations such as Amritsar Golden Temple and Jammu Maa Vaishno Devi via train numbers 18101 (up), 18102 (down), 18103 (up), and 18104 (down). These trains connect people with the rich religious heritage and spirituality of cities like Varanasi, Ayodhya, Haridwar and Amritsar.
The delegation questioned the rationale behind halting train operations based on weather conditions in a technologically advanced country like India. They emphasized that, with the use of the GPS system, technical challenges should not impede daily train operations.
In conclusion, the delegation appealed to the Railway Minister to use his influence to ensure the continuous operation of the Tata-Amritsar Jallianwala Bagh Express, considering its significance for the people of Jharkhand and North India.
The delegation included prominent BJP members Satbir Singh ‘Somu’ Jagtar Singh Nagi, Arjun Walia, Rajinder Singh Lali, Gurjinder Singh Pibtu, Tarvibadar Bhatia and others.
