LAHORE: The resumption of rail traffic on Lahore-Faisalabad route may take at least one month, as the Pakistan Railways teams are yet to start the repair work due to the area being inundated by floodwater.

The PR announced an emergency in the prevailing situation on Saturday and cancelled the leaves of all officers, officials and workers performing train operations duties across the railway network in the country, according to officials.

“Our engineers have started a survey of the portion of the track at the bridge near Qila Sattar Shah affected by the floods due to rains and breaching and overflowing of stormwater nullahs. In this situation, we are unable to start track rehabilitation works since water is still accumulated there,” said PR Chief Executive Officer Muhammad Hafeezullah. “As soon as the water recedes, we will start work,” he added.

It is worth mentioning that the PR had on July 27 reportedly suspended the entire passenger and freight train operations on the Lahore-Faisalabad (via Sheikhupura) route after the floodwater submerged the area and eroded soil beneath railway bridges. The flooding caused breaches at 25 locations along the route, causing erosion, isolating the railway line at two bridges — including a major bridge near Qila Sattar Shah, and leaving the PR with no option but to suspend all train operations.

Though some express trains (Lahore-Karachi-Lahore) were kept operational after being diverted to proceed via Okara, Sahiwal and Khanewal.

Talking to Dawn, Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi said that the resumption of the rail traffic on the route may take one month, as the officers concerned were unable to start work in the current situation.

“It will take one month to repair the track and restore the traffic as we will be required to lay a new track at the affected portion,” he maintained.

“We will try our level best to rehabilitate the track before one month,” he said.

Meanwhile, the minister has placed the Ministry of Railways on high alert to ensure the safety of passengers, protect railway infrastructure and maintain uninterrupted train operations amid the prevailing flood situation.

According to an official statement, the minister directed railway officers and field staff to remain on duty, while all weekly holidays for officers and operational personnel had been cancelled to ensure an effective emergency response.

Mr Abbasi ordered all divisional superintendents to personally supervise repair and restoration work in flood-affected areas and instructed railway officials to remain present in the field until normal operations were restored.

He also directed the PRs control rooms to monitor the situation round the clock, warning that he would conduct surprise inspections to assess compliance with emergency directives.

Published in Dawn, August 2nd, 2026