Train services have been suspended in the district for months and five major stations including the Dera Panah station have been abandoned. “We thought it was only a matter of time and that things would get back to normal a month after the floods,” said stall owner Qazim, adding that he had closed his shop when the track was destroyed.
“I kept thinking I would be back in business soon but it has been four months and there isn’t a soul in sight at this place,” he said.
Commuters, porters and stall owners have all expressed their concern over the delay in the track’s repair. “They haven’t even started work on these lines yet. I was hoping that in the new year I could resume my usual route,” said commuter Adeel.
The July floods not only submerged thousands of villages in the area but a large portion of railway tracks in southern Punjab were also washed away. Multan division’s engineering staff has repaired railway tracks in Kot Addu and Kashmore but railway tracks in the Sukkur division have not been restored.
In DG Khan, railway services at five stations including DG Khan Central and Rajanpur have been suspended. Thousands of passengers and traders are worried about the delays and dozens of stall owners and porters have been rendered jobless in the district.
Stall owner Tahir Abbas told The Express Tribune that due to suspension of the train from August 3, they were facing heavy losses and had been unemployed for nearly five months.
“I can hardly afford my house and many of us are on the street. The authorities need to tell us when we will have our jobs back,” Abbas said. Stall owners and railway workers have said that they can hardly afford food and rent and will soon be destitute if the tracks are not repaired and the train stations remain closed.
Locals have demanded that the government speed up work on the destroyed tracks and immediately restore the train service from Multan to DG Khan and Rajanpur.
“We have all had to use rickshaw and bus services for five months and these cost a lot more than the train,” commuter Asghar Khan said. Engineering Staff Union leader Akhtar Baloch said that engineering staff had repaired railway tracks near Kot Addu and Kashmore under the supervision of Multan district superintendent (DS) Shakeel Khan. Khan has said that the restoration of the railway track in the Sukkur division would be completed in a week.
Khan told passengers that the Rajanpur track had not been restored because the railway had a shortage of engines and the engines were working with supply trains, which were more profitable. “Once the route is restored the engines will be returned to passenger trains,” he said. DG Khan Chamber of Commerce president Khawaja Muhammad Younus, vice president Zulfiqar Ali, Markazi Anjuman Tajran president Sheikh Mirajuddin, Ghanta Ghar Bazaar president Muhammad Ali and others demanded that the federal government restore the track as soon as possible.
They also demanded that a bridge be constructed at Ghazi Ghat and a special train service be started between Dera and Multan.
Traders and citizens demanded that in the light of Supreme Court orders the railway should restore the Chiltan Express via Dera and Quetta route. “The railway authorities need to start thinking about the people. The closure of five routes is affecting the lives of thousands,” said Younus.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 8th, 2011.
COMMENTS
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ