10 February 2004	Tuesday	18 Zilhaj 1424

PESHAWAR, Feb 9: The Khyber Steam Safari, a special train which earned international fame due to its antique engine and unique ride through the Khyber Pass, needs proper attention of the quarters concerned to keep running.

"Since its inception in early 1990s, the Khyber Steam Safari has never run according to schedule and was halted in Oct 2003, due to dismantling of railway track at Takht-i-Baig bridge near Jamrud in Khyber Agency," said Zahoor Durrani of Sehrai Travels, an official promoter of the train.

The Sehrai Travels was running the train in collaboration with Pakistan Railways and Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC) and paid Rs150,000 per run. For the last four months, the train was out of operation and the Sehrai Travels had to postpone trips from time to time because of the delay in construction of the track, which was washed away by flash floods, he added.

The Khyber Steam Safari, which runs between Peshawar and Landi Kotal in the Khyber Agency, was launched 10 years ago in public-private partnership to promote tourism in the NWFP, Mr Durrani said.

He said the train had been incarnated from the ashes of the Khyber Railways and within a short span had not only gained momentum, but international recognition as well.

Due to its unique ride and antiquated steam engines, the train was included in the Asia's five most celebrated trains, he added. Kingston & Co, UK, and Valcon Foundry, UK, manufactured the two steam engines in 1913. The lead engine is more popularly known as 'Black Beauty'.

About the track history, he said, the Khyber railway track had a grand history to its credit. Victor Belay, a British engineer, designed the track plan in 1880 and actual construction began in 1920. The track was completed at an estimated cost of Rs210 million and the train steamed off on its first journey on Nov 4, 1925.

The alignment is a classic example and from engineering point of view the work had no superior in the world. Main features of the track include four reversing stations, 34 tunnels, 92 bridges and culverts, six ordinary crossings and four locomotive watering stations.

Mr Durrani said the government should give proper attention to the train because it had the potential of boosting the dwindling tourism industry of the NWFP. -APP