LAHORE: The only Cargo Express (501-Up/502-Down) running between Sindh and Punjab capitals will not leave Lahore’s Badami Bagh station on Friday (today) because of detention of its rack in Karachi on Wednesday (Dec 10).

“Two hours before its scheduled departure time, the 501-Up cargo train was first delayed and then cancelled,” an official of the Pakistan Railways at its headquarters in Lahore told Dawn on Thursday.

After a lapse of more than three years, resumption of Cargo Express (501-Up/502-Down) was inaugurated by Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafique on Nov 24.

Six contractors approached the PR divisional marketing authorities in Karachi requesting that since they had insufficient goods to load, the train might be cancelled, said the official who sought anonymity.

“The Karachi marketing authorities first delayed and then cancelled the train without assigning any reason. Being operated short of its approved composition of 27 bogies per trip, the train requires 36 hours to cover the distance between Karachi and Lahore. Once it reaches its destination, goods are unloaded and the empty rack is handed over to contractors for loading their merchandise.

“There is no dearth of cargo either at Karachi or Lahore. In fact, due to cut in fuel prices, dispatching goods through road transport now costs much less than railways. A number of contractors have approached the marketing wing in the Pakistan Railway headquarters in Lahore to operate the Cargo Express on alternative days instead of daily,” said the official.

Published in Dawn, December 12th, 2014