BAHAWALPUR: The south Punjab administration is planning to introduce a safari train from the Bahawalpur railway station to the Lal Sohanra railway station to provide recreation to foreign tourists and visitors to the National Park Lal Sohanra about 35 kilometres away from here.

South Punjab Additional Chief Secretary Saqib Zafar told Dawn at the south Punjab secretariat here that a feasibility study of the proposed plan was in progress. He said he, along with Pakistan Railways Secretary Habib Gilani, inspected the proposed railway route and the track up to the abandoned Baghdadul Jadid railway station near the city on the Sammsatta-Bahawalnagar railway section. The section is not in use of passenger trains and has been kept unused for defence purposes.

The ACS said the safari train service would be introduced on a weekly or bi-weekly basis for the promotion of tourism and attraction of the citizens and tourists. The Lal Sohanra park, he said, was full of scenic beauty along with the abundance of wildlife.

He said the abandoned railway station building which is a heritage in the city must be revived and directed Deputy Commissioner Irfan Ali Kathiya to examine the possibilities to lease out through open advertisement and auction the project to convert the Baghdadul Jadid railway station’s existing building into a fast food centre.

Answering a question, Mr Zafar said a proposal was being examined whether the safari train which would be originating from the Bahawalpur railway station would terminate at the Baghdadul Jadid or Lal Sohanra railway station.

He said that after completing the journey the tourists would be provided the facility of coaches to travel by road up to the Lal Sohanra park. He said the railways’ authorities had given the south Punjab secretariat a green signal to launch the project and also promised cooperation.

The Lal Sohanra park stretches over hundreds of thousands of acres and has forests with vast desert areas, a canal, two lakes and an abundance of wildlife including black bucks, chinkara and blue bulls.

Published in Dawn, December 8th, 2021