Question : OFFLOADING OF GOODS AT MEHATPUR STATION, H.P.

(a) whether New Himachal Goods Truck Owners Union, Mehatpur, District-Una of Himachal Pradesh have demanded that the goods like coal and fertilizer carried by Railways for Himachal Pradesh may be offloaded on Mehatpur Railway Station of Himachal Pradesh instead of Nangal and Kiratpur Railway Stations of Punjab;

(b) if so, whether the representatives of Himachal Pradesh have requested the Hon`ble Minister in August, 2003 to accept their demands; and

(c) if so, the steps taken by the Government thereon

MINISTER OF STATE IN THE MINISTRY OF RAILWAYS (SHRI R.VELU)

(a) & (b) Yes, sir.

(c) Rai Mehatpur Station does not have any infrastructure for handling of freight traffic. Kiratpur Station which is in close vicinity of Rai Mehatpur Station, has adequate infrastructure to handle freight traffic. The infrastructural facilities available at Kiratpur for loading/unloading of goods traffic are not fully utilized. Furthermore, any investment in creating infrastructure at Rai Mehatpur for handling freight traffic diverted from Kiratpur will not be financially viable. As such, the request of New Himachal Goods Truck Owners Union, could not be agreed to.