Havelian rail hub off the track

Residents, traders seek freight services, track upgrades and revival of dry port project

HAVELIAN:

For more than a century, Havelian Railway Station in Abbottabad has served as Pakistan's northern rail gateway, linking millions of passengers, tourists and traders from Hazara with the rest of the country.

Today, the historic terminal is struggling with ageing infrastructure, limited passenger services and the absence of freight trains despite rapid population growth and expanding business activity across the region.

Despite its strategic importance, the station continues to face ageing infrastructure and limited rail services. While Havelian generates an estimated Rs800 million to Rs1 billion in monthly revenue for Pakistan Railways, passengers and businesses continue to face difficulties.

Local industries face similar challenges. Trade Union President Khurshid Azam and mining trader Muhammad Aslam said that Hazara Division has abundant reserves of minerals, marble, granite and industrial stone supplied to markets across Pakistan.

However, the absence of dedicated freight trains has forced businesses to rely on costly road transport, increasing freight expenses and reducing competitiveness.

Business leaders said Havelian's location makes it an ideal logistics hub for northern Pakistan. They urged Pakistan Railways to introduce regular freight trains to major industrial centres, saying the move would reduce transport costs, facilitate exports, attract investment and create jobs. They added that expanded freight services would also support the region's growing agriculture, manufacturing and construction sectors.

The daily struggle is evident as scores of passengers use the station every day. An assistant station master, requesting anonymity, said that the station currently serves only two passenger services.

The rail corridor connects northern Pakistan with Taxila, Jhelum, Sargodha, Multan and Hyderabad.

Travelling from Havelian has also become difficult due to the poor condition of the century-old track beyond Haripur, forcing trains to operate at low speeds.

Commuters Ikram and Muhammad Yousaf said journeys that should take a few hours often stretch into day-long trips and urged the authorities to rehabilitate the track.

Residents said demand for more trains has increased with Hazara Division's growing population and economy.

Rapid urban growth in Abbottabad, Haripur and Mansehra, along with the expansion of surrounding areas, has increased daily travel. The growth of universities, industries, tourism and businesses has further added to mobility needs, making existing rail services inadequate. They said additional trains would provide much-needed relief.

Basic safety at the station also remains a concern. A security guard at the station said personnel maintain round-the-clock vigilance despite the absence of CCTV cameras, a boundary wall and reliable lighting. Frequent power outages leave platforms in darkness, while families living in the railway colony must cross active tracks due to the lack of a pedestrian bridge, putting women and children at risk.

The unrealised potential of Havelian is reflected in the proposed Havelian Dry Port. Conceived as a flagship China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project worth around $65 million, it was planned as an international cargo terminal to handle trade from the Khunjerab Pass through the Karakoram Highway.