BAHAWALPUR: The colonial-era Lodhran Railway Station would be preserved and renovated with a view to provide facilities to the travelers.
This was stated by Lodhran Deputy Commissioner Muhammad Ashraf who inspected the railway station on Thursday.
The railway junction located on the Lahore-Karachi railway line was an important railway station in the sub-continent even before the Partition in 1947, serving mostly the rural population intending to travel to Lahore via Vehari and Mailsi and towards Karachi via Rohri and Hyderabad.
The railway junction still attaches great importance as it is Pakistan Railways’ only station from which double railway track starts up to Karachi to cope with the increasing number of Up and Down express passenger trains in addition to facilitating the movement of freight trains for Up country stations from Karachi’s harbour.
But, despite Lodhrn junction’s pivotal importance, the railways had ignored it during the recent years regarding provision of facilities as its building had been in dilapidated condition with lack of basic amenities.
Briefing the DC on the occasion, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Liquat Gilani, Station Master Iqbal Malik and district building department officials informed him that during pre-partition days, the Lodhran junction served parts of Punjab and former Bahawalpur state areas. In fact, Gilani explained, the junction was considered as a central station as there were no means of transport for the rural population then.
He said recently the district administration Lodhran, with its own funds, carried out some of the revamp of its old building structure, which needed major renovation. He added that being the oldest railway station in the area, it required millions of rupees to preserve its historical heritage.
ADC Gilani told Dawn by cell phone today that the deputy commissioner while taking round of the railway station, inspected its old infrastructure, including the executive class waiting area and wash rooms, which was in poor condition .
According to him, the DC issued directions for installation of LED lights in passengers’ lounge and CCTV cameras on important points in and outside the railway station to ensure security for the protection of the passengers. He announced that the district administration would utilise its own million of funds for preservation of the historical building of the station.
HOCKEY: The Quaid-i-Azam South Punjab inter-district hockey championship, 2025 began at Mutiulah Khan Hockey Stadium.
The inaugural match opened by Commissioner Musarrat Jabeen was played between the teams of Bahawalpur White and Bahawalnagar teams. Bahawalpur White won the match by 3-0. The tournament jointly organised by the divisional administration and sports department was participated by over 20 hockey teams of South Punjab region. The commissioner urged to revive hockey at national and international levels to secure back Pakistan’s lost international status in the fraternity of hokey countries.
SUSPENDED: Vehari Deputy Commissioner Khalid Javed Goraya, during his surprise visit of DHQ Hospital Vehari, ordered the suspension of absentee staff nurse Shaheen Akhtar .
The DC who inspected various wards warned that the absence of medics and paramedical staff would not be tolerated and strict action would be taken against the absentee staff members.
Published in Dawn, December 26th, 2025