LARKANA: The Pakistan Railways is actively considering operation of more passenger train services on the Rohri-Kotri sector after successfully restoring and running the Mohenjo Daro Express on July 20, after a gap of about one year.

Undertaking the mandatory survey and assessment of the tracks and looking into the feasibility of the proposed services, the PR general manager, Sameeullah Gandapur, along with divisional superintendent Sukkur Mehmoodur Rehman Lakho and federal inspector Ali Mohammed Afridi, travelled to Larkana by a special train from Habibkot on Friday.

They discussed all aspects of the proposed train service(s) with the Larkana station master and other officials. The station master briefed them about health of the tracks as well signals, facilities etc at this station.

Federal inspector Mr Afridi later told the media that Pakistan Railways had in July revived the Rohri-Kotri track to restore Mohenjo Daro Express. Now, it was planning to run another train on this track to extend the travel facility to more people, he added.

He noted that commuters had stopped complaining about fares after privatisation of the Mohenjo Daro Express. He said the PR was seriously thinking about restoring Bolan Mail and Khush’hal Khan Khatak Express as well.

Mr Afridi also revealed that a strategy had been formulated to retrieve the PR lands through an anti-encroachment drive to be launched soon.

Published in Dawn, August 19th, 2023