PESHAWAR, July 7: Railways authorities have started removing the colonial era narrow-gauge railway track between Kohat and Thal town, official said.

An official at the divisional headquarters here said on Wednesday that the 50km long narrow-gauge track became redundant a decade back and it would be removed in three phases.

The track which connected the southern Kohat city with the western Thal, lies on the border of Kurram and South Waziristan tribal regions border, was laid in early 20th century for strategic purpose.

The source said that the federal government had contemplated a plan to replace narrow gauge track with broad gauge between the two cities, but the proposal was dropped due to financial crunch.

Official said that the government had auctioned the track to a private company and in first phase track between Doaba and Thal towns had been removed. In second phase railway line between Hangu and Doaba would be abolished while in the last phase track between Kohat and Hangue would be removed.

The railways authorities had already abandoned narrow gauge tracks in the NWFP which connected various southern districts including Bannu-Kalabagh and Lakki-Tank some two decades back.

Earlier Sarhad Tourism Development Corporation had also planned to run Steam Safari train between Kohat and Thal to promote domestic and foreign tourism in the region, but the project could not take off due to some unknown reasons.