ATTOCK, June 5: Passengers of Attock-Rawalpindi Railcar face great inconvenience during their daily travel between the two cites.

The most chronic problem is use of out-of-date engines that go out of order midway. Despite frequent complaints, the railway authorities seem reluctant to solve the problem. The train departs from Attock railway station at 6:15am and reaches Rawalpindi in 90 minutes. It leaves Rawalpindi at 3:45pm.

Engine failure during journey has become a routine as mostly outdated locomotives are provided to the train.

Some time it takes several hours to provide alternative locomotive, the commuters complained. Furthermore, it has become a practice that goods bogies are attached with the train which puts additional load on the engine.

A local railway official on  condition of anonymity said railway authorities had recently decided to stop the train due to shortage of engines but passengers reaction had restrained them.

However, they have decided to run the said train as passenger-cum-goods to meet the losses, he added.

The problems had been brought to the notice of authorities of Attock railway station as well as higher authorities of Railways Headquarters but to no avail, they regretted.

When contacted, station master Attock Ameer Mohammad said he was aware of the problems which had been forwarded to the high-ups.

He said shortage of locomotive was the main reason for it; however measures were being taken to facilitate the passengers.

About attachment of goods bogies with the passenger train, he explained that it was as per instruction of higher authorities. — Yaqoob Malik