BJP MP Anurag Thakur on Tuesday, 2 June 2026 participated in the resumption of the historic Pathankot-Jogindernagar narrow gauge rail service, flagging off trains from Kangra Railway Station alongside Kangra-Chamba MP Dr Rajeev Bhardwaj and other dignitaries. Thakur described the moment as one of joy for all residents of Himachal Pradesh.

Context

Posting in Hindi, Thakur wrote: 'यह हम सभी हिमाचल वासियों के लिए हर्ष का क्षण है' ('This is a moment of joy for all of us, the people of Himachal'), announcing that the service had resumed on the same day. He credited the Modi government's commitment to expanding rail connectivity in the hill state, calling the Kangra train 'part of that resolve.' The flag-off at Kangra station was a joint event with Dr Rajeev Bhardwaj, the sitting MP from the constituency the line primarily serves.

Policy Backdrop

The Kangra Valley Railway is one of India's oldest narrow gauge networks, stretching 164 km on a 2 ft 6 in gauge and connecting Pathankot in Punjab to Jogindernagar in Himachal Pradesh since 1928. The line passes through Kangra, Palampur and Mandi districts and has been classified as a heritage railway. Indian Railways has made successive budget commitments since 2014 for restoration, safety upgrades, and monsoon-damage repairs on narrow gauge sections in Himachal Pradesh. A 2018 heritage rail tourism policy framework specifically identified the Kangra Valley line for preservation and service revival alongside the Kalka-Shimla route.

The resumption fits within the broader PM Gati Shakti connectivity framework under which the central government has channelled dedicated funding toward rail links in Himalayan states. Similar restoration work has been carried out on the Kalka-Shimla and Una-Amb lines in recent years.

Stakeholders and Impact

The line is a lifeline for residents of the Kangra valley, providing an affordable, all-weather alternative to road travel on mountain terrain prone to landslides and seasonal road closures. Domestic tourists visiting Dharamshala, Palampur and the wider Kangra region also rely on the heritage service, which supports the local tourism economy. Local businesses, daily commuters, students, and pilgrims travelling to temples along the valley are among the most direct beneficiaries of the service's return.

For the ruling BJP, the event carries political salience in a state where the party is in opposition at the state level but holds key Lok Sabha seats. Both Thakur (Hamirpur) and Dr Bhardwaj (Kangra-Chamba) are central-government-aligned MPs, and the flag-off allows them to claim credit for a visible infrastructure delivery in their region.

What's Next

Attention will now turn to the pace of broader upgrades on the Kangra Valley line, including track renewal and whether feasibility studies for gauge conversion — a long-discussed possibility — receive fresh momentum in upcoming railway budget allocations. Parliamentary questions on pending Himachal Pradesh rail projects, including electrification and station modernisation, are likely to follow. The revival of this service may also reinvigorate calls from local stakeholders for faster progress on extending broad-gauge connectivity deeper into the state.