Passengers stranded for hours after landslide blocks railway track near Attock

TAXILA: A train accident was narrowly avoided on Wednesday night when the driver of the Thal Express stopped the train after a landslide blocked the railway track between Jhalar and Salmanabad stations in the Kala Chitta mountain range, around 25 kilometres from Attock.

According to railway officials, heavy rain and severe weather caused the landslide in the mountainous area, sending large rocks onto the track. Officials said the remote location and the absence of immediate communication meant railway authorities were not initially aware that the line had been obstructed.

The Multan-bound Thal Express, which was travelling towards Rawalpindi, reached the affected section shortly after passing Salmanabad station. Railway officials said the driver sensed danger ahead and brought the train to a halt in time, preventing what they described as a major disaster.

After being stopped, the train was reversed and taken back to the isolated Salmanabad railway station. Scores of passengers remained stranded there for nearly six hours in difficult conditions and without access to basic necessities including food and drinking water. One paassenger Safia Bibi, who was travelling with her children while speaking to Dawn said, "We were terrified and exhausted. There was no water, no food, and no proper shelter. My children were crying from hunger and cold. It was a very distressing situation, especially for families."

Passengers said there were no immediate arrangements by railway authorities to handle the emergency. They said local villagers and passengers themselves began removing stones from the track.

There were no arrangements by the railway authorities to deal with such emergencies. It was the local villagers and passengers themselves who stepped in and started removing stones from the track, said passenger Rabnawaz Niazi.

According to passengers, local residents and travellers used traditional tools and manual labour to break and clear the heavy rocks because modern equipment was not available at the site. They said railway engineers had initially assured them that the track would be cleared within two hours, but the operation took about six hours. They added that by the time the Railway Department's crane reached, most of the work had already been done by the local people.

Passengers said that once the authorities were informed, rescue teams from Attock and Mianwali were mobilised to clear the track for the train.

Track cleared after hours-long operation

The blockage was eventually removed after an hours-long effort involving local residents, passengers and rescue teams. The incident highlighted the difficulties posed by severe weather and the remoteness of the mountainous stretch between the two stations.

No casualties were reported in the incident, and the train was prevented from entering the obstructed section after the driver acted in time.