Union Minister Jitendra Singh today appealed to Railway Ministry to continue stoppage of Hemkunt Express at Hiranagar station in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a letter to Railway Minister Sadananda Gowda, Singh said, "Railway authorities seem to have conveyed to the station superintendent at Hiranagar station that the stoppage of the train will be cancelled with effect from September 30."
Hemkunt Express, which runs between Jammu Tawi and Rishikesh, had been granted a stoppage at Hiranagar on January 26, 2009 and this arrangement continued uninterrupted for nearly five years, he said.
Singh, Minister of State for Prime Minister's Office, said the train is popular among passengers from Jammu and Kashmir undertaking religious pilgrimage to Haridwar for performing the last rites of their deceased family members and its stoppage should be continued at Hiranagar.
He recalled that on July 23 the Ministry of Railway had declared Hiranagar railway station as "model station" and hence it deserves special attention.
