A listless fare....Page 4 SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019 INTERNET EDITION : www.dailyexcelsior.com/magazine The stressful examinations...Page 2 JAMMU RAILWAY STATION Neglected and Vulnerable Rajan Gandhi Historic Jammu city had its old Jammu station built in around 1897 but was abandoned after the partition of India as the railway link to Sialkot, 43 km away now in Pakistan, was broken. The station was also linked with Wazirabad and Narowal stations both of which are also in Pakistan. The line from Jalandhar City to Mukerian was constructed in 1915. The Mukerian-Pathankot line was built in 1952. The construction of the Pathankot-Jammu Tawi line was initiat- ed after the Indo-Pakistan war of 1965 only when army faced hardships in swift mobilization of troops, arms and ammunition as after partition Jammu had no rail links until 1971, when the Indian Railways laid Pathankot - Jammu Tawi Broad Gauge line. The new Jammu Tawi station was opened in 1975 and in 2000 the old railway station was demolished to make way for an art centre. Since then railway tracks between Jalandhar and Jammu Tawi have been doubled, electri- fication of railway track completed in 2014 as the entire Jalandhar-Jammu sec- tion, Jammu Tawi station and sidings have been completely energized to 25 KV AC line and approved for electric traction in August 2014. Swaraj Express now gets an end to end WAP 4 engine from Jammu Tawi to Bandra Terminus while Himgiri Express now gets an end to end WAP-7 engine from Jammu Tawi to Howrah. WAP - 4 is a common electric locomotive used in India to haul the longer, heavier express trains (24-26 coaches) that were becoming the mainstay of the Indian Railways network and the WAP 7 (Wide/broad Gauge AC Electric Passenger, Class 7) is a three-phase AC electric passenger locomotive. It is the most powerful passenger locomotive in the Indian Railways' fleet as it is a pas- senger variant of the WAG 9 freight locomotive with a modified gear ratio to pull lighter loads at higher speeds. It is capable of hauling 24 coach trains at speeds ranging between 110-140 km/h, depending on the MPS (Maximum Permissible -Excelsior/Rakesh Speed) of the sector and is now largely used by Northern Railways . But despite all these modernizations by Indian Railways on this section, trag- trains have to fill up their water tanks and for this purpose two pumping stations no parking contract with the result anyone can come and park vehicle at what- ic part is Jammu railway station is still the same with only three platforms to were there but in one of the underground pumping station petrol leakage from ever parking is available. With no entry for vehicles except the ones carrying sen- cater to 49 trains daily, 33 terminating and originating from Jammu only. In adjacent petrol dumping site has polluted the water with the result full load on ior citizens, vehicles enter parking - pay the fee and are than allowed to enter addition to these daily cargo and oil trains are also arriving with supplies for the other operational pumping site and obviously it's not possible for the lone from wrong side to even parking reserved for railway employees. Two agencies whole state of Jammu and Kashmir. Importance of this railway station can be pumping station to cater to the demand with the result half or quarter filled trains are right now responsible for security; RPF (Railway Protection force) and GRP gauged from the fact that the daily footfall of passengers is around fifty thou- departing and in between journey water gets finished causing acute hardships (General Railway Police) which is part of Jammu and Kashmir Police. GRP is sand (fifty thousand) but the infrastructure has remained same since 1971 even to passengers. Another noticeable aspect is ticket booking, while the passengers right now short of manpower to man this much passenger flow and RPF has after a lapse of 47 years. Main rush is of pilgrims of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi and find it hard to get confirmed tickets, office of Station Master is found to be busy another story as their men right now have been called back for Kumbh Mela duty this footfall increases during festive season and Shri Amarnath Yatra when addi- in facilitating quota booking to the extent that SM's office seems like booking leaving this station easily vulnerable right now. Virtually no facility or proper tional trains are run to cater to the festive rush. With over a crore passengers counter and sometimes even SM at booking counter for speedy quota filling shelters for policemen on duty standing there even in rain. With the trains enter- travelling annually one can imagine the kind of revenue this railway station is before chart is prepared. This whole ticket booking episode requires a thorough ing so slowly the station, there are too many unmanned points for drug peddlers generating for railways but the condition and facilities at the station speak oth- probe. Right now railways has many plans on papers like increasing present 3 or smugglers to exploit. All these glaring lapses are very much in the knowledge erwise. With small overcrowded waiting room which can never fulfill the volume platforms to 8 after shifting existing goods yards to Bari Brahmana , construc- of higher officials but no corrective plan has been put in place. Right now, it of passengers, no restaurant on the platform or railway station complex, an tion of another entry point from Narwal side, construction of an overhead foot seems higher authorities are waiting for something to happen. important aspect for additional revenue generation is missed out. With passen- bridge to connect all additional platforms, even construction of a subway con- No accountability is the hallmark of Jammu and Kashmir and railway sta- gers coming out outside railway station in search of toilets, restaurants, trans- necting these platforms but all these schemes are right now like 'Moongari Lal tion though under Central Government is no exception. Open drains, dumping portation or hotels but all these missing facilities are a bitter shock for them. kae haseen sapney' only as Bari Brahmana yard construction will take another ground right in front of railway station just mocks the PM Modi's Swachh Bharat Fact is there is no public toilet outside the complex and the one constructed by two years to complete after which only additional platform construction can Abhiyan and passengers/tourists coming from all over India are presented with some NGO don't have the water connections which speak about the seriousness begin. heaps of garbage, building material , no public utilities, no assistance booths , of the railway authorities. Non functional lifts, missing parking or for that mat- One of the major issues of this station is security as not long ago terrorists no one to guide, no one to protect, broken shabby roads, it's just free for all. With ter non entry of any vehicle on upper part of railway station further adds up to had issued a letter of warning to strike at this station but the kind of lapses one Jammu - Poonch, Manali - Billaspur - Leh line proposed, establishment of Rail- the woes of aged, disabled or patients as they have no option but to climb down sees it seems authorities are not too bothered. There are four major legal entry way Division at Jammu is the need of the hour to streamline every aspect of Jam- the stairs to reach for any kind of transportation. Missing Government rate list points-two towards railway colonies and two in front of the station, one in and mu Railway Station and for which railway authorities had initiated the survey of passenger fare for different destinations which results in fleecing of money by one out, along with numerous porous entry points like unmanned nullah, no but right now the proposal is stuck between two BJP MPs, one asking to estab- drivers at their own whims and fancies. There can be only two reasons for this: boundary walls, no fencing and these entire lapses raise the question mark on lish at Jammu and other directing to establish at Udhampur which is not feasi- either authorities are sleeping or hand in glove with the auto rickshaw and taxi seriousness of security preparedness. Few operational CCTV cameras, defunct ble as per railway ministry and with no immediate solution in sight like many unions. Coming back to platform some very interesting observations are there, scanner and X-ray machines further add to the headache of security persons to other projects this is also in limbo thereby denying thousands of job opportuni- persons allotted with railway stalls have sublet these stalls, missing i-cards by check so many passengers. Railway employee vehicles are without security stick- ties to Jammu and Kashmir youth. Are the authorities and elected representa- vendors or employees, use and stocking of gas cylinders on platform, missing ers, no raised police pickets to blunt any attack, no security verification of staff tives serious for development of Jammu Railway Station and the answer right firefighting equipment are just few things waiting for a disaster. of hotel inside the complex as well as shops are other major security concerns. now is no and it seems people of Jammu will have to wait for a world class rail- Scarcity of water is another important issue. With 33 long run routine trains Local families residing on footpaths for days together without any objection are way station for a much longer time. Government was sleeping for 47 years and as well as additional passenger trains operating from this station as such all these another major concern. To add to the existing security woes right now there is they are still in doze mode only.

Nagendra Jamwal Nothing delights a biker more than challenging himself and his machine to surmount the challenges thrown at him by nature. The lure of elements unleashing their fury add to the Of Metal Horses and Iron Hawks charm of the bike ride. What promised to be a tepid and tame bike ride organised by the Directorate of Jammu Tourism ended up as a odyssey. On a chilly morning the biker fraternity congregated at Sidhra Golf Course driving through the mist rising from the nearby Tawi river. The winter morn- ing's stillness broken by Rub-a-Dup of machines. What was a high decibel cacophony for others was music to the true bikers. Machines revving up, rid- ers rearing to go. But before the flag off was a golden opportunity to asses and observe the fellow riders. The machines, the persona; the group loyalties; the clubs and the gangs playing out their allegiances. But one thing which was constant was the mutual respect. Once the initial jostling for places in the flag off was over, the scenery, the cloudy morning and the turns and terrain of Bajalta and uphill journey to Surinsar started playing out. Interestingly a medieval ritual was also on a dis- play. Some biker groups kept their cool and maintained their ranks, other just dispersed into small groups. For the steady bike riders, travelling in order, the rout of their opponents was complete, the leaders of small groups clue- less and left to fend for themselves! As the rally approached the majestic Surinsar Lake the dandies of the Bik- ing fraternity were out to strut their wares. Harley Davidsons and Hayabusas started their solo peacock runs on the Boulevard. The lake provided a perfect canvas. As the rally rode deeper into the road inside Surinsar Mansar Wildlife Sanctuary an emergency halt created a lot of interest. A leopard sighting cre- ated a lot of fear and interest though it was not clear whether the biking fra- ternity ought to congratulate the biker for rare sighting or sympathise with the cat for missing her meal! By now the bikers had decided to enjoy the nature at its best, the rolling The route from Shah Balote to Sarna covered with stone chips challenged the was bikers delight! A few slipped, a few tumbled from their iron horses. The fields, the lush green pine forests, the camel foot vines and the brooks and biker's skills. Biker's became conscious about their machines and anxiously veterans took to guiding the novices, out came the mentors with their age old streams. In the equestrian terms the gallop turned into a trot. The ride to boat ascended the last stretch upto the Mahoregarh fort. Some drove straightway wisdom. The local Sarpanch played the role of a pioneer guiding the entourage club on the lake shore was heavenly. The vastness of water body and the upto the majestic fort gates. Other's parked their metal horses on the flat land to Utterbehni across Holy Devika river. majesty of the decks of boat club was a heady feeling. It mesmerized the vis- adjoining the water body. Everyone tried to soak up the atmosphere, the land- itors and embraced them in their lap. A quick round of Temple complexes housing Lakshmi-Narayan and Lord The winter chill gave way to warmth as local snacks like mathi, sewian, scape; the insurmountable cliffs; the crags and the distant Mansar Lake now Rama at Utterbehni satiated the curiosity. Temple complexes of Purmandal mater washed down with pink ginger- cardamom flavoured tea - a type of marked only by mobile towers on the hill. The sweet aroma of Dogra cuisine made the bike riders feel proud of their ancestors and the heritage bequeathed green tea and the speciality of hills created more bonhomie than the prod- wafted in the stiff breeze, the stomachs ached and the congregational feast by the Dogra dynasty to this state. ding's of event managers. The terrain, the topography and the Mahoregarh called Dogra Dham commenced. Leaf Plates and cups locally called Doona By now the so called 'Western Disturbance' was in its full fury and added fort was the hot topic and Mahoregarh fort beckoned everyone. Once the pho- and Pattal added novelty to the experience. Rajma and Dal cooked in brass charm to the Bike Rally. The bikers aligned with Biking groups with exquisite tos and selfie session was over the bikers hit the road again only to be stopped utensils jostled with Ambal, Khameere and Babru for attention. The sattavic names like Bikers Brotherhood India, The Bull Riders Cafe, Himalayan Bulls, enroute at Zamora village. Mustard crop in full bloom interspersed with lush food had a calming effect on everybody. Iron Hawks, Metal Horse Riders Club, Kathua Riders, Northern Adventure green fields sown with wheat halted the procession. It was a DDLJ (Dilwale Just when the Heritage Bike Ride entered its last leg to heritage temple Club and Super King Bikers sped towards Jammu city. The Rally was over But Dulhaniya Le Jayenge) moment for everyone. complexes of Utterbehni and Purmandal, a light drizzle started making the the biking culture is truly alive, kicking and roaring to go. Once the excitement was over Mahoregarh was again in everyone's mind. ground slippery and difficult to negotiate. However what was organisers curse (The author is CEO, Surinsar-Mansar Dev. Authority.)