By Arvind Sharma
Trains have long been regarded as the lifelines of nations. With unmatched reliability, they operate regardless of weather conditions — whether it's torrential rains, dense fog, or extreme heat. Offering comfortable overnight journeys, spacious seating, and the luxury of affordable air-conditioned travel, trains are the true democratic mode of transport, connecting people, cargo, and cultures.
It’s no exaggeration to say that “development follows the railway tracks.” Where a train line reaches, prosperity follows — in the form of tourism, trade, education, employment, and emergency services. That’s why the recent inauguration of the Katra–Srinagar railway stretch by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is being hailed as a milestone moment for the people of Jammu and Kashmir. With this, the region is now fully connected to the rest of India via rail — a dream that seemed impossible for decades.
Yet, amid the celebrations in Kashmir, there is a growing sense of neglect in other hilly states — particularly Himachal Pradesh.
Despite being one of India’s top-tier tourist destinations and a crucial centre for spiritual, ecological, and military importance, the picturesque town of Dharamshala in Kangra Valley remains disconnected from India’s broad-gauge railway network. This is not just an infrastructural gap — it’s a policy failure.
True, a few hill stations do have air connectivity, but let’s be honest — air travel is at the mercy of private airline operators. Prices fluctuate wildly, flights are often cancelled without notice, and weather disruptions are common. In contrast, a train offers a dependable, cost-effective, and comfortable alternative for tourists, locals, and the armed forces alike.
So why has broad-gauge railway connectivity not been prioritized in Himachal’s heartlands?
Successive governments have hidden behind excuses: lack of profitability, forest land constraints, and the technical difficulties of mountain construction. But these arguments no longer hold water.
Enter Union Minister Nitin Gadkari, whose revolutionary work in highway development has transformed India’s road landscape. He has proposed a visionary model — rail tracks in the central median of four-lane and six-lane national highways, using already acquired government land. If implemented, this could be the solution hill states have been waiting for.
Here in the Kangra Valley, we already have historical precedence. In 1929, under British rule and with none of today’s machinery or engineering knowledge, a narrow-gauge railway line was built from Pathankot to Jogindernagar — a technical marvel that still operates today. If the British could do it nearly a century ago, what stops us now from converting it into a modern broad-gauge line?
The demand is not without political backing either. Local MP Rajeev Bhardwaj BJP has been consistently raising this issue at the national level. He envisions this project as a game-changer for the region — boosting tourism in Dharamshala and McLeodganj, supporting the sports ecosystem around HPCA Stadium, enabling easier access for Dalai Lama’s followers, and improving logistics for the army and paramilitary forces stationed in the area.
Moreover, such connectivity would help decentralize tourism, reducing the pressure on Shimla and Manali by offering easier access to the serene Kangra Valley( a declared Tourism district of Himachal by the present state government ), the spiritual corridors of Bir-Billing, Palampur, and the adventure trails of Barot and Triund.
The call is clear: If a broad-gauge railway line can reach the difficult terrains of Banihal, Baramulla, and Srinagar, it can very well be extended into the lush green valleys of Kangra.
It is time for the Central Government and the Indian Railways to look beyond profitability and recognize the strategic, social, and economic importance of extending broad-gauge rail connectivity to neglected hill regions like Dharamshala. If the path to Kashmir can be paved with steel and vision, so too can the future of Himachal’s hill towns.
Let development ride on the rails — right up to the heart of the Himalayas.
……the writer is a Sr Journalist based in Dharamshala.