PESHAWAR: Appreciating the government’s decision about resumption of the vintage Khyber steam safari train, Sehrai Travels & Tours has said that merger of the erstwhile Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa offered an opportunity to revive this fabulous tourist attraction and rehabilitate the British-era railway infrastructure.

In a statement here on Thursday, Zahoor Durrani, CEO of Sehrai Travels who ran the Khyber steam safari service from Peshawar to Landi Kotal for tourists between 1990 and 2008, said that the safari train was a national heritage asset of world fame.

He said that the announcement was made by federal minister for railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed during his recent visit to Peshawar.

He said that the minister had stated that the Peshawar to Landi Kotal railway track would be revamped.

The famous Khyber steam rail was discontinued owing to militancy in the tribal region in 2008.

The flashfloods and lack of maintenance over the years have rendered the tracks unusable at multiple places.

In the interim period while the Khyber tracks are repaired it would be worthwhile to functionalise one of the two vintage steam engines parked at the Peshawar loco-shed and run it between Peshawar and Attock Khurd for tourism purposes, he suggested.

Published in Dawn, November 30th, 2018