Navsari: The Indian Ministry of Railways has decided to close 11 narrow gauge trains in Gujarat, which have been running at a loss for a long time. The decision sparked outrage in the Dang district business community. At the same time, the closure of the Bilimora-Waghai Heritage train connecting Navsari and Dang districts has angered the people.
A total of 11 narrow gauge trains in the state, including the Bilimora Waghai narrow gauge train connecting Navsari and Dang districts, have been closed permanently as announced by the Indian Railways. The General Manager, Western Railway, Ministry of Railways has sent a letter to Churchgate, Mumbai, stating that the decision has been taken to stop these 11 trains in Gujarat, citing unaffordability. The train is a lifeline for the tribals of Dang district as well as the hinterland of Navsari district. At that time, the demand that the historic train should not be stopped has risen among the locals. While Gujarat is preparing to run a bullet train at a cost of crores, if this narrow gauge train, which is a historical heritage, is handed over to the tourism department and continued, the people will also get convenience and the loss to the government can be compensated.
It may be mentioned that these narrow gauge trains were started 100 years ago by Maharaja Sayajirao Gaikwad of Vadodara from the British government. It was started to provide facilities to the people of the tribal community living in the deep forests and to facilitate the British to bring teak timber and sesame wood there. With the increase in traffic over time, the use of this narrow gauge was reduced by those who found the journey longer. As a result, running it was a loss-making business for the railways. The railways could not afford to run these trains day by day as there was a question of staff etc. due to increase in electricity and diesel prices. Therefore, the Railways has decided to close all these 11 narrow gauge trains in Gujarat permanently.
Train service connects Valsad to Dang district
This narrow gauge train service connects Bilimora in Valsad district with Waghai Junction in Dang district. The distance of this route is approximately 63 kilometers. Most of the area is far from road connectivity and the only train facility is a big support for the people there. The train has a total of 5 coaches and its maximum fare is Rs 15. Tribals living in this part of Gujarat use this train to transport forest-grown vegetables and other agricultural products to Bilimora.
The poor laborers of Dangs working in Bilimora also use this train for their daily commute. After the announcement of the closure of this train service, the future of these tribes is looking bleak. The tribals have expressed their displeasure over the decision of the Railway Ministry and met Valsad MP Dr KC Patel and Dang MLA Vijay Patel and demanded its resumption. Vansada MLA Anant Patel has threatened to stage agitation and picket if the decision to close the train is not withdrawn in the near future.
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