NAROWAL: Residents along the defunct Narowal-Chak Amroo railway section have demanded that Prime Minister Imran Khan and Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad rehabilitate the section and start rail traffic there to facilitate thousands of the people living around nine stations of the route.

The Narowal-Chak Amroo section was generating millions in revenues every month before it was closed down in 2005. By 2001, five passenger trains were running on the section. Gradually, the number fell to one in 2005.

Residents say even the lone train, which would depart for Chak Amroo from Narowal in the morning would fetch maximum number of passengers. Instead of running more trains to facilitate the growing population, railways officers closed down the service in 2005. The route with nine stations is losing the costly infrastructure day by day to thieves. Fish plates are missing at several points while buildings of railway stations are in the shambles. Thieves have stolen water pipes, electric wires and many other things from stations. Residential quarters are deteriorating and their walls and roofs are in the miserable condition. Nearby villagers are using them as cattle pens while many have built houses on the railways land.

Chak Amroo residents Muhammad Ajmal and Abdul Sattar said that due to the non-availability of railway service, bus operators overcharged the passengers.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2019