KARACHI, Aug 23: Passengers travelling from Karachi to other parts of the country by train had to face hardships at the Landhi Railway Station on Monday and Tuesday due to failure of the Pakistan Railways to facilitate and guide them properly about the arrival and departure timing of trains.

The PR has been temporarily operating trains from Landhi railway station following damage to tracks on Malir bridge after derailment of a Lahore-bound goods train on Sunday.

A visit to the Landhi station on Tuesday showed that hundreds of passengers and many others who went to the station either to see off their relatives or receive them, were kept in the dark by the railway staff about arrival and departure of trains between Karachi and the upcountry.

Pandemonium prevailed at the station on Monday and Tuesday, as passengers remained helpless, and found them in a fix.

Moreover, no traffic police officials were present to regulate the movement of vehicles between the flyover and Landhi railway station as more than the normal traffic had virtually choked the narrow artery.

Due to the traffic jams, people were forced to leave their vehicles away from the station and had to carry their baggage. Taxis and yellow cabs which managed to reach the parking lot of the station, were charged Rs10 per vehicle by the railway police officials despite the fact that the drivers had already paid parking fee at the entrance of the station.

A bearded-man in his late 60s, Iqbal Ali, sitting on his luggage, said: “I came here to see off my daughter and daughter-in-law who are leaving for Lahore by Allama Iqbal Express.”

He said they went to the Cantonment station first where they were told that the train would leave at 3pm. They hired a taxi as the buses arranged.

“What to say about the seating arrangements, we are at the Landhi station for hours and even drinking water is not available here”, the annoyed old man said.

Another passenger Bilal said he had come around 7am to receive his family coming from Lahore by Allama Iqbal Express. “No one is here to give us correct information.”

Mujahid Ali said he had returned his tickets on the day of the accident but the railway officials did not refund the whole amount.

Long queues were also seen at the ticket counters where people were made to stand for hours under the sun to purchase tickets.