APROPOS Shazia Hasan’s interesting story on the current usage of various railway stations in Karachi (Nov 29). She has also mentioned those stations which have become redundant after the discontinuation of the local circular railway more than 30 years ago. The reason for its closure in Karachi was primarily the lack of interest of the railway administration in keeping it efficient and providing a better service than the road transporters.

In April 1983 I had joined the office of a firm at West Wharf, which is quite close to the deserted circular railway station of Wazir Mansion. My residence was in PECHS near the Chanesar Halt station of the circular railway.

I used to travel by the circular railway to reach the office at 8.30am, for which I had to switch over trains at the City Station to reach the Wazir Mansion station. Owing to the late arrival of trains, I would reach the office late by 30 to 45 minutes, causing a lot of embarrassment to me in the new job.

Most of the people travelling in the train were either beggars or drug addicts, who would not buy a ticket, and did not get down from the train. It appeared as if the trains were being run just to provide them joyrides.

Consequently, I had to opt for other means of transport. In order to release the pressure of traffic from the roads, the city desperately needs a metro train service similar to the one being operated in Dubai, which is now a popular mode of transportation there.

Parvez Rahim
Karachi

Published in Dawn, December 6th, 2015