NAWABSHAH / LAHORE: Rail traffic on the Main Line-1 (ML-1) partially resumed on Monday after repair and rehabilitation work on the down track (towards Karachi) was completed, nearly 20 hours after the derailment of several wagons of a coal train near Wahab Shah Station in Sanghar district on Sunday evening.

More than 12 bogies of the coal train derailed, causing severe damage to both up and down tracks of the main railway line and disrupting train operations.

“The down track has been opened for rail traffic, after which Karachi-bound trains from Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar and Multan originating stations have resumed operation,” Divisional Superintendent (DS) Inam Ullah Khan told Dawn when contacted.

“The up track will take some time to be ready for train operations bound for Lahore and other major cities in Punjab and KP [Khyber Pakhtunkhwa],” he said, adding that the single track (downward traffic) was currently being used for train operations.

The official said that Lahore division railway authorities had cancelled various trains bound for Karachi on Sunday. Similarly, several trains were cancelled on Monday as no trains arrived from Karachi due to the closure of the track caused by the coal train accident.

He said passengers whose bookings/reservations were cancelled had been advised to claim refunds.

According to an official source, three up trains — 27-Up, 11-Up and 47-Up — originating from Karachi were cancelled on Sunday, followed by the return of three down trains to their originating stations. These included 48-Down, 12-Down and 28-Down from different stations.

Seven trains were stopped en route following the accident at Tando Adam, Jalal Mari, Shahdadpur, Sarhari, Paddidan, Lakha Road and Rohri stations.

“These trains observed stoppages for several hours, forcing passengers to leave them and reach their destination by bus. The PR [Pakistan Railways] also gave refunds to several passengers”, the source said.

Railway officials had initially estimated that both tracks would take around 24 hours to clear, but despite the availability of machinery and manpower and continuous efforts by teams at the site, only the down track could be repaired and reopened. Fareed Express crossed the repaired track on a trial basis at a cautious speed of 10 kilometres per hour.

According to railway sources, teams were working round the clock to ensure that both tracks were restored as soon as possible.

The restoration of train operations according to the timetable may take a couple of days, as the accident has severely affected arrival and departure schedules.

Meanwhile, a PR Lahore division spokesperson, through a press release, announced the cancellation of the departure of several major express trains from Lahore to Karachi on Monday.

These included 42-Down (Karakoram Express), 34-Down (Pak Business Express), 16-Down (Karachi Express) and 18-Down (Millat Express). “Passengers having confirmed bookings on these trains may get a full refund of their tickets from reservation offices,” the spokesperson said.

The PR has ordered a thorough probe into the derailment of the coal train. “The facts behind the accident will emerge after completion of the inquiry. However, the initial report (Joint Certificate) is yet to be issued,” another railway official said.

Published in Dawn, July 21st, 2026