HAFIZABAD City News

Hafizabad has railway stations, but no train service

From syed Muhammad Zamir

HAFIZABAD: The Hafizabad railway stations have become deserted due to suspension of train service while their buildings have started deteriorating as there is no one to look after them.

More than 12 trains plied on Hafizabad-Wazirabad section due to which hundreds of passengers remained present at the railway stations and its platforms but they were closed by the railway authorities one by one during the last some years. About seven months ago, service of the only train - Pakistan Express – was also suspended after collapse of Chahnawan Bridge near Jamkay Chattha.

Due to the closure of trains, the people of the district and suburbs have been facing a large number of problems.

After closure of trains, staff of six railway stations, including Hafizabad, Alipur Chattha, Kaleke, Sukheke and Marbalochan, has been transferred to other cities while buildings of these railway stations have started deteriorating. Recently, the building of ticket room at the Hafizabad railway station has been collapsed and railway line worth millions of rupees is being damaged day-by-day.

Anuman-e-Tameer-o-Taraqi president Habibullah Shaheen, Awami Mahaz president Rana Khalid Mehmood, Anjuman Nojwanan president Abdul Jabbar Raza, Jamaat Ahle Sunnat chief Allama Rana Muhammad Asghar Chishti, Sunni Tehrik president Syed Usman Shah and Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran president Sheikh Muhammad Amjad have demanded the railway high-ups restore all trains.

When contacted, Station Master Muhammad Asghar said that most of the trains were closed by the Pakistan Railways as they were running in loss. He said that service of Pakistan Express was suspended due to collapse of the bridge. He said that the bridge was being reconstructed and after its completion, service of Pakistan Express would be restored. He said that staff would be called back after restoration of service of the Pakistan Express.