Lahore-Faisalabad section: Railways to restore flood-hit train service from 15th
LAHORE: Train services on the Lahore-Faisalabad route are all set to be restored from Nov 15, as the Pakistan Railways (PR) engineering teams have almost completed work on the restoration of a railway bridge, which collapsed due to floods in August near Sheikhupura.
At present, the engineering teams are engaged in inspecting the newly-laid rail track while the civil work has been completed besides some ongoing jobs, Dawn has learnt.
“The work on the new embankment, track laying has almost been completed, paving the way to restore the rail traffic on Nov 15 — the day when the federal minister for railways will inaugurate it, restoring the train operations at this important route,” PR Chief Executive Officer Hafeezullah said while talking toDawnon Sunday.
He said the work on the railway bridge (Massan Kalar Bridge) was launched during the third week of September after the floodwater receded, enabling the engineering teams to launch the rehabilitation activities. Before this, a consultant designed the project, suggested constructing a solid embankment by creating water passages under other bridges in a bid to avert any such collapse in the future. “As per the design, the team started work and completed the project in a record time,” he said, adding that the restoration of rail traffic would provide an affordable travel facility to passengers at large.
To a question, he said the trail train operation on the route would begin within the next couple of days, enabling authorities to start train operations formally on Nov 15.
According to the Lahore Railways Divisional Superintendent (DS) Inamullah Khan, the project worth Rs455 million involved a variety of civil, mechanical and electrical works.
“This route is very important for us since it gives us considerable revenue. Trains operating on this route include Shalimar Express, Badar Express, Ghauri Express, Karakoram Express and a couple of freight trains subject to availability of goods for transportation.
Meanwhile, Deputy Divisional Superintendent (Infrastructure) Qazi Jawad Ahmed also conducted a motor trolley inspection of the Lahore-Sheikhupura railway track on Sunday to review the progress of the ongoing work. Divisional Engineer (DEN) Chaudhry Nasir Hanif and other relevant railway officials accompanied him during
the inspection. The team reviewed the pace of rehabilitation and construction work on the bridge and assessed the measures required to expedite its completion.
It merits mentioning that flooding in the Ravi and Chenab rivers and breaches in Nullah Deg and Bherr had wreaked havoc across the catchment area, eroding soil beneath railway bridges and forcing suspension of rail traffic on the Lahore-Faisalabad section via Shahdara and Sheikhupura. This led to isolating the railway line at two bridges — including a major bridge near Qila Sattar Shah on the Lahore-Shahdara-Sheikhupura-Faisalabad section. Due to this, PR cancelled all departures originating from Lahore to Faisalabad as well as Lahore-Karachi and Khanewal-Lahore trains via Faisalabad.