The Hoshiarpur-Ferozepur train service was resumed after a suspension of two years on Saturday. Member of parliament Santosh Chowdhary flagged off the daily DMU (diesel multiple unit) service from Hoshiarpur railway station.
The train's daily departure is scheduled at 6 am, but on the
inaugural day, the train departed at well-past 11 am, ostensibly to make the event a well attended show.
Ferozepur divisional manager NC Goel said that the train would halt at 23 stations and reach Ferozepur at 11.05am. It would depart from Ferozepur railway station at 11.30am and reach Hoshiarpur at 4 pm, he added. Passengers would have to pay Rs. 30 only for the 161-km ljourney, said Goel.
Chowdhary said that very soon people's demand of a direct train to Delhi would also be met as work on the recently announced proposal had already begun. She hoped that with the introduction of that train, Hoshiarpur railway station would also be upgraded to provided better facilities to the passengers.
People are elated at the resumption of the DMU service but lack of lavatories on board is a big drawback. Chowdhary, however, claimed that the Railways had started the service on experimental basis and very soon all DMUs would have toilets.
"The DMUs were started as short distance trains but now they run for long distances too. On public demand, toilets are being provided on some of these trains," said the MP.