July 02, 2006	Sunday	Jumadi-ul-Sani 5, 1427

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HYDERABAD, July 1: Several Indian passengers, including Syed Ameen Chishti, Khadim of the Dargah Sharif of Khawja Moinuddin Chishti in Ajmer Sharif, could not board the Thar Express on Friday night due to non-availability of seats.

Now all the passengers would have to move the Sindh home department for extension.

In some cases, whose three months stay was completed, would have to approach the federal interior ministry.

The affected Indian passengers urged the two countries to run the Thar Express at least twice a week with increased number of bogies.

“We were to return home before July 4 because schools of my children will open on July 3.

At least there should be facility of concession of change of route for the Indian nationals and they should be allowed to return to India from Wagha if they opted for it for any reason”, said Syed Ameen Chishti, Gaddi Nashin of Dargah Sharif of Khawaja Moinuddin Chishti.

He also complained that he had been trying to seek reservation but it was not available while his visa would expire on July 10 and there was no seat available till July 29.

“It would be in fitness of things if both the countries run Thar Express twice a week”, Chishti said.

He said that both the countries should realise the issue lest people gave up travelling on the route which is shorter than Wahga.

“I have already stayed for three months here. I was to catch train at all cost but now I am in a difficult situation”, said an Indian national Syed Anwar Hussain.

He said that the both countries should review their decision of running the train once in a week and its trip should be increased to at least twice a week.

“I opted for the route because it is shorter and cheaper but it has become a problem for me now”, he said.

He said that overstay of visitors caused difficulty not only to themselves but their host as well and added that both the government should try their level best to facilitate visitors.

A 13-member Indian family including women had no option but to pass night in motorcycle parking stand of railway station under open sky after they were prevented from boarding the train without having reservation.

The family had come from Nawabshah and was unable to return back for want of transport at 3am.

“We started seeking seats after we arrived here from June 4 but to no avail. Railway authorities prefer those passengers whose visas are going to expire”, said Gyanchand Nainwani, who belongs to Bheelwara in Rajasthan state.

The Indian nationals, who had obtained certificate of departure from the DPO appeared in the office to seek extension.

Railway and police authorities made strict security arrangements at the railway station following the last week’s incident in which angry passengers and their relatives smashed panes of two bogies’ doors, locked from inside by passengers, who were travelling from Karachi.

There were complaints that passengers having tickets were boarding the train and were occupying those seats which were got reserved by other passengers.

Following such repeated incidents of disturbances at railway stations of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas, the railway authorities have now decided to allow only those passengers who possessed reservation.

On Friday, railway officials led by divisional commissioner officer Hassan Tahir Bukhari, and police officials counted each family member before allowing them permission for boarding train.

Around 72 passengers boarded Thar Express from Hyderabad last night while an equal number of travellers is to travel from Mirpurkhas upto Munabao.

The quota of Hyderabad railway station included 32 berths, 34 seats and six sleepers.

According to reservation office of the railway station, no seat is available in train from Hyderabad till July 29 as all seats are reserved.

“For August 6, the booking would resume on July 5”, said a reservation official.

He said that only a limited number of passengers would be allotted seat reservation.

“The number of passengers is unexpected”, he said.