CHAGAI: The freight train service between Pakistan and Iran was suspended as floods caused major damage to the railway track in Noshki and Dalbandin.

A Pakistan Railways official based in Dalbandin told Dawn that routine operation had been suspended since Jan 6. It was partially resumed after three days, but suspended again the next day as major parts of Noshki and Chagai districts received heavy rains.

The official said the floodwater had swept away more than 150 lower parts of the railway track, making it vulnerable to derailment. He said a goods train on the way from Quetta to Iranian city of Mirjaveh was stopped in Dalbandin to avoid any accident.

Repair work on the damaged parts of the railway track had begun, but it would take at least 10 days to restore the routine service due to unavailability of required machinery and lack of human resource, the official said.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2020