Lead story: Pathankot, from opulence of three Ts to apathy

Traffic jams successful Pathankot;. The metropolis refuses to make owed to deficiency of facilities.

From the pre-Independence days till the 1990s, the erstwhile scenic metropolis of Pathankot had gained fame for its prosperity and affluence. It was the envy of different towns of the state. Businesses successful timber, transport and tourism thrived. These were addressed arsenic the 3 Ts of the town. People utilized to deterioration opulence connected their sleeves. Driving the latest exemplary of cars had go a fad. Trips with children to Srinagar were common. The rags-to-riches stories are truthful galore that it is hard to support way of them. They proved that adjacent coming from tiny cities, the biggest dreams are possible. The metropolis had a psyche of its own, a civilization of its own.

However, the Jalandhar-Pathankot-Jammu National Highway built a fewer years agone punctured the system of the metropolis and besides weaned distant the tourists. The 70 unusual hotels, which utilized to bash bully concern passim the year, abruptly fell connected atrocious days. Earlier, tourists would walk a fewer days successful the metropolis earlier they moved to the neighbouring states of Himachal Pradesh and J&K. The caller National Highway ensured that the tourists drove consecutive to these states and to Vaishno Devi shrine without touching the town. The sixth astir populous municipality of Punjab is virtually connected its knees.

With a paucity of facilities, the metropolis refuses to develop. Residents who earlier preferred to walk their twilight years successful the city, are nary longer funny successful coming. They similar the chill climes of HP and J&K. The government’s apathy has meant that each the 3 Ts person virtually been wiped disconnected the map. The 7 railway crossings connected the Joginder Nagar-Pathankot constrictive gauge enactment are different crushed wherefore the system is successful the doldrums. These days, due to the fact that the Chakki railway span is being reconstructed pursuing which the artifact bid does not run connected the route, the railway ‘fataks’ bash not close. This means postulation jams are virtually absent.

However, this is simply a impermanent improvement and 1 time the Chakki span volition reopen and the artifact bid volition commencement moving again. Once this happens, the obstruction crossings volition again commencement shutting down. These ‘fataks’ unopen down for astir a twelve times each time due to the fact that of which the metropolis remains divided into 2 parts for agelong periods of time. Businesses get deed and postulation jams are a mean occurrence. This improvement has reduced the city’s significance.

The hospitality concern has besides turned inhospitable. “About 2 decades ago, erstwhile the caller National Highway was yet to travel up, the edifice concern had experienced a boom. I utilized to bargain the latest car each six months. My children studied successful the champion of schools successful the neighbouring hills. Now, things person changed. We are struggling for survival,” said a renowned hotelier.

Most question agents person closed shop. However, those who are inactive successful the concern accidental the tourism imaginable of the world-famous hidden caves, besides called the Mukteshwar Dham, located successful the Ranjit Sagar Lake, has not been tapped fully. Earlier, tourists from overseas countries visited the caves. Now, adjacent the home ones are missing. Picnic spots similar Shahpur Kandi, a semi-hilly area, Madhopur and Parian-Wala-Bagh, person mislaid their relevance due to the fact that of an assortment of factors.

The parking occupation is adding to the city’s woes. The metropolis has nary postulation lights pursuing which vehicles seldom travel rules. Hundreds of e-rickshaws, some ineligible and illegal, which person flooded the roads, thrust haphazardly and are the origin of accidents. The communal refrain among residents is to “restore quality legs arsenic a means of alternate travel”.

Till the mid-seventies, the municipality bustled with activity. The Delhi-Pathankot railway enactment was yet to beryllium extended till Jammu. This, successful essence, meant tourists utilized to walk a batch of clip earlier they embarked connected onward buses for J&K and HP. So overmuch so, old-timers accidental the shop-keepers connected the Railway Road ne'er downed their shutters. These shops utilized to stay unfastened for 24 hours a time to cater to the customers. The Pathankot-Jammu obstruction way came into beingness successful 1975.

All is not lost. If the MC manages immoderate resources and develops parking spaces, things tin improve. Transport officials uncover that astir 1 lakh vehicles, including those of the Army, walk done the municipality daily. In an emergency, and this includes the transition of a VIP cavalcade, ambulances and occurrence tenders get stuck successful traffic.

Not galore cognize that Pathankot was going to Pakistan erstwhile the demarcation was taking place. The archetypal program of the demarcation committee was to spot Pathankot, which was a portion of Gurdaspur territory astatine that time, successful Pakistan and alternatively springiness Shakargarh territory to India. However, the committee members did not find this feasible from respective angles and yet it was decided to springiness Pathankot to India.

The metropolis is champion known for its litchi-growing abilities. Its ungraded supports cultivation of this fruit. This benignant of cultivation financially helps section farmers. This effect is exported to different countries too different states. Farmers are blessed with its productivity and profitability.

wuw