Industry welcomes new rail link to West Punjab

Even as section of them flayed the hike in freight charges,Punjab’s business community on Tuesday welcomed the proposal,announced by Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal,for a new rail link that would connect Patti with Ferozepur and open a strategically important link to Amritsar through Western Punjab.

Industrialists say that the proposed link will reduce the distance between Amritsar and Mumbai by nearly 240 kilometres. “Coupled with the double tracking of the Ferozepur-Bathinda section,this could be a new breakthrough route from Amritsar to Mumbai through Western Punjab,Rajasthan and Gujarat and Maharashtra and would link a number of ports. This has been a long standing demand of the region. Besides being a strategic defence alternative,it reduces distance between Amritsar and Mumbai by 240 kilometers. It also opens a completely new freight passage from Attari to Mumbai,connects North and Western Punjab with the ports and assists quicker passenger transport,” said CII National Council on Public Policy member Gunbir Singh. .

Punjab Pradesh Beopar Mandal president Amrit Lal Jain was also all praise for Railway minister for ushering in a new era for trade activity in the region by announcing new rail link that would connect Amritsar with far off destinations via Western Punjab. Jain said the announcement by Bansal had won the hearts of people of Malwa and the announcements would change the profile and destiny of Malwa region.

Industrialists in Ludhiana,however,slammed the hike of nearly 6 per cent in railway freight rates —the second such in two years — stating that it will fuel inflation as prices of essential commodities will go up.