Train passengers continue to suffer delays

The schedule of arrival and departure of trains at the Karachi Cantt and the City railway stations remains disturbed days after the tragic accident of Hazara Express near Nawabshah. Three trains coming from upcountry to the port city were suspended on Tuesday and one on Wednesday.

According to the spokesperson to Pakistan Railways Karachi Division, the down track is being used for both the up and down trains for Karachi. Meanwhile, he said, repairs of the affected up track at Sarhari Station near Nawabshah was in progress and it might be completed in a few days.

Per the spokesperson, Pakistan Express from Karachi to Rawalpindi departed after a delay over six hours at 8:30pm instead of 2pm similarly Sukkur Express left Karachi at 1:30am instead of 11pm with a delay of 2.5 hours.

Passengers heaved a sigh of relief as they got off the Pakistan Express coming from Rawalpindi which chugged in at Karachi at Cantt Station at 5:30pm instead of 8am with a delay of 9.5 hours. It normally takes 26 hours for the journey. Being cooped up in compartments for over 36 hours was taxing the nerves of exhausted passengers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 10^th, 2023.