Daily Times

LARKANA: The Pakistan Railway authorities have sadly ruined the Larkana junction railway station. While 11 trains used to previously run on its tracks almost all day, now only two trains make the journey, and that too at night time only.

The Kambar-Shahdadkot train has remained closed since 2009. Due to the non-plying of trains, the dry port Benazir Bhutto established in 1995 was forced to close in 1996 as well. The platform of the station which was earlier home to bustling activity and which attracted many people now lies deserted and empty.

The Larkana Chamber of Commerce & Industry (LCCI) has penned several letters to the federal and provincial governments to make the dry port and the trains functional, but to no avail. Even local trains which used to take passengers to Sehwan, Shikarpur, Rohri, Jacobabad, Dadu, and even Kotri no longer function.

Only two trains–Bolan Mail and Khushal Khan Khattak Express–stop daily at the station. The station was also dotted with a plethora of stalls while many workers used to earn their livelihood by carrying luggage. Now, sadly, only railway employees are present at the station.

Qalandar Express and Shahbaz Express were highly convenient for those government servants who had to reach their offices on time. These employees now face serious difficulties since they now have to resort to private transport which is plying without schedule.

Thieves, meanwhile, have stolen the tracks from the Kambar-Shahdadkot railway line, and if the government fails to take any concrete steps in the next few years, the fact that trains used to run between Larkana and Kambar-Shahdkot will be relegated to a mere anecdote in the pages of history.

Qalandar Express closed down in November 2009, Shahbaz Express in August 2011, Jacobabad Passenger Train in 2007 while Passenger train 287 stopped working in 2011. Due to the closing of this efficient and rapid train service, private transporters charge exorbitant fares from the passengers , while no government officer, including the Regional Transport Authority, has taken any action against this influential and well connected mafia.

Goods shades and godowns at the Larkana station used to be full of luggage but now lie empty and have been locked away. Rice, wheat, fish, vegetables, guava, tomato, mangoes and so forth were regularly sent through trains to various parts of the country from this station, highlighting the significance of this station and the economic activity it generated.

LCCI Chief Masood Ahmed Shaikh told newsmen that railway authorities had a ‘step-motherly’ attitude towards all the areas which fell on the right side of the Indus river, especially Larkana. He said that 80 to 90 lbs track had been laid here on earth due to which trains run slowly whereas on the left side of the Indus, 120 to 130 lbs track had been laid over stones due to which the trains run faster there.

He also blamed the federal and the Sindh governments, and the railways ministry for destroying the Larkana Junction. He said that the railway authorities charged up and down hire from traders which forced the dry port to close down since the traders faced significant losses. He also said that residents felt insecure and unsafe while travelling in private coaches which they were forced to take since trains are still considered more secure than other means of travel.

Larkana station master Ayaz Abbasi said that Larkana is the divisional headquarter but there is neither an online ticket system nor has the reservation system been computerised yet. He said that it was very unfortunate that only two trains operated, and that too at night time, while the station resembled a barren desert during the day.

He also added that the station could earn lot of revenue as it did in the past, but the authorities continued to neglect the station for no apparent reason. Perhaps it is time that the state machinery took notice of this crisis and ended the local people’s suffering.