Two years on, railway track still dysfunctional

Citizens deprived of cheap travel thru Malakwal-Pind Dadan Khan train service

PIND DADAN KHAN:

The Malakwal-Pind Dadan Khan railway track, which was closed due to lockdowns imposed in the coronavirus pandemic, could not be restored until now while the Malakwal-Khushab track has already been closed for two years.

Similarly, the Malakwal-Khewra and Malakwal-Gharibwal tracks have also been closed since 2011, due to which transportation of salt, cement, coal and other minerals has been badly affected while citizens are facing severe hardships in commuting economically.

The 17 kilometres long railway track from Malakwal to Pind Dadan Khan was closed due to the coronavirus pandemic but despite the passage of more than two years, it could not be reopened.

It should be noted that due to the presence of Haranpur (Victoria) Bridge, the train is the only mode of public transport from Malkwal to Pind Dadan Khan and in absence of the important railway track, citizens have to travel 72 kilometres to take the other route or use the motorcycle to cross over the Victoria Bridge, a distance which is by no means risk-free.

Tracks including 21-km Malakwal to Khewra, 27-km Malakwal to Gharibwal and 92-km Malakwal to Khushab have been closed for a long time due to which not only are the citizens deprived of the economical commute, but the railway department is also losing millions of rupees annually in terms of freight.

Due to the closure of the railway track, the citizens of Pind Dadan Khan are facing severe difficulties, while tourists visiting Khewra Salt Mine are also deprived of travel facilities.

The only passenger train from Malakwal to Pind Dadan Khan could not be restored till now after being halted due to the coronavirus. Thousands of people in the three districts of Rawalpindi Division have been deprived of economical railway travel due to the closure of the train service.

The previous governments did not take any steps to restore the track and the current government is also not practically doing anything.

Lately, a delegation from the railway department visited the Malakwal station and held meetings with the business community and the journalists and assured them about the plan for maintenance and the restoration of the Malakwal-Pind Dadan Khan train service.

Assurances were given by the railway department in the past as well but the promise has not been kept. Despite the passage of more than two years, the train service could not be restored.

The citizens have demanded the government to work on an emergency basis for the rehabilitation of the track and to restore the Malakwal-Pind Dadan Khan train service as well as restore the tracks of Malakwal-Khushab, Malakwal-Khewra and Malakwal-Gharibwal so they can benefit from the affordable train travel in this era of inflation.

Due to the closure of this track, railway properties worth millions of rupees as well as the railway stations have been destroyed and its buildings damaged.

The citizens have demanded from the Federal Minister for Railways Chaudhry Saad Rafiq that the travel and freight facilities of the railways should be restored soon so that the hardships of the citizens can be reduced.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, December 5^th, 2022.