Rajya Sabha MP Shri Kartikeya Sharma met the Hon’ble Minister of Railways, Shri Ashwini Vaishnaw, to press for early resolution of long-pending rail connectivity and passenger convenience issues concerning the Kalka–Ambala region and adjoining areas. The meeting followed the issues raised by Shri Kartikeya Sharma in Parliament a day earlier, where he had highlighted the prolonged delay in restoring key train services and the lack of affordable and regular passenger connectivity affecting thousands of residents of the region.
During the meeting, Shri Kartikeya Sharma specifically demanded the resumption of Train No. 14887/14888, the Barmer–Kalka Express, which was discontinued during the COVID period and has not yet been restored. He pointed out that this train served as the only direct rail link connecting Kalka, Chandigarh and the Himachal region with major cities of Rajasthan such as Hanumangarh, Bikaner, Jodhpur and Barmer, and its continued suspension has caused significant hardship to passengers from the Kalka–Ambala belt.
The MP also raised the demand for starting regular and affordable passenger train services from Kalka to Haridwar and from Kalka to Delhi, the introduction of a direct Kalka–Amritsar train, and an increase in the weekly frequency of the Kalka–Shirdi and Kalka–Katra pilgrim trains from the existing three days a week to at least six days a week.
Shri Kartikeya Sharma emphasised that these rail services are crucial not only for passenger convenience but also for access to healthcare, education, employment, trade and pilgrimage travel. In the absence of affordable rail options, common citizens, senior citizens and middle-class families are forced to rely on costly private transport.
It is pertinent to note that these very issues were raised by Shri Kartikeya Sharma in Parliament yesterday. During the meeting, the Hon’ble Railway Minister acknowledged the concerns related to the Kalka–Ambala region and assured that necessary steps would be taken and the issues would be resolved at the earliest.
Reiterating his commitment to public interest, Shri Kartikeya Sharma stated that he will continue to pursue these matters until tangible results are achieved for the people of the region.