On track
THE Cantonment Railway Station and the City Station are not the only two train stations in Karachi. This city has many railway stations, including the ones in Nazimabad, North Nazimabad, Orangi, Mauripur, Landhi and on Sharea Faisal. Of them, the last two here are where the trains stop and where you can even buy tickets as they happen to fall on the main line on which the Cantonment and City stations are also located. The rest are just sad reminders of the now defunct local circular railway.
Well hidden behind the narrow winding lanes under the Quaidabad flyover infested with encroachment in the shape of shops which further congest this area lies the Landhi Railway Station.
The few people who come here to catch their train seem to be in a big rush. “That’s because the train won’t stop for long, maybe two minutes, maybe five if they are lucky,” smiles Tariq Mahmood, a gentleman waiting there to receive his friends. “Those who miss getting on, well they’ll be in a major fix and those who want to get off, if they can’t do so here, they can always get off at the Drigh Road Station or even Cantt Station after that. What I have to do then is just get in my van and reach there at top speed,” he adds.