June 24, 2004

Transport terminals, for road, rail, air or ship, draw mixed emotions in any ordinary being. Many of them are majestic in their size, awe inspiring in their hustle and bustle, and subjugating in their powers. They unite families and take them apart — venues for happy arrivals and tearful departures. Sometimes these can also be places for much frustration.

Ever heard of being off schedule by not just minutes or even hours but days? Welcome to Pakistan Railways where people tell horror stories of having had to wait for double the time it would have taken them to reach their destination. But to be fair, my experience has not been as unpleasant. Not that I expected Euro Rail or got one, but let’s stick to the tracks (no pun intended!)

The Karachi Cantonment Railway Station, built in 1898 at a cost of Rs80,000, formerly known as the Frere Street Railway Station, is located at the southernmost end of the Civil Lines area, and is said to cater to over 3,000 passengers on a daily basis.

Why would such a public area be privy from a photographer could be anybody’s guess, but we love conspiracy theories and every officer has his day. So shooting at the Cantt was not as easy as one would imagine. Without involving bureaucratic red tapism, there is limit to what one can manage at the imposing, historical building, which has been restored by using sand-blasting technique.

However, other than the central main portion, the rest of the building seems ill planned due to improper maintenance. Up until the mid-90s, a 90-year-old coal-fired locomotive, a decorative piece, was centrally placed inside the station boundary opposite the main entrance to the station platforms, but it has now been placed near the entrance gate.

Engine No 63 MS was built in England in 1913 and travelled more than 37.33 million kilometres and is a source of curiosity for most visitors, young and old alike.

Back then, the British had probably not provided waiting room facilities for ordinary passengers, the overwhelming majority of whom usually comprised natives, who travelled in the lower classes. Even now, waiting rooms are generally non-accessible, as only upper class passengers are allowed to use them.

The rules for usage keep on changing from time to time. At one point passengers had to pay between Rs50 to 100 per person for utilizing lounge facilities, which does not even include tea or soft drinks; this was later changed to Rs5 per hour per person.

There is no other proper waiting room facility at the station. The majority of lower class passengers, including women and children, sit on the floor adjacent to the platform, or in the hall where the ticket window is also situated with its long queues.

The coolies in their bright red uniforms queue just outside the entrance, sprawled leisurely on the central foot-path, and there seems to be no proper seating arrangements for the poor souls who make a living out of transporting the heavy wares of passengers to and fro. Endurance is bliss and we are experts at it.

 

Please Visit our Sponsor (Ads open in separate window)