Thar Express services delayed till November

Jaipur, Sep 16 (UNI) The services of the ''Peace train'' Thar Express, suspended following the flood in Barmer district, may not be resumed before November this year, sources said.

The special train running between Munabao in Rajasthan and Khokrapar, a border village in Pakistan's Sindh province, was suspended till today in the aftermath of unprecedented flood in many areas of Rajasthan.

Chief information officer of the North West Railway S B Gandhi said since the Kawas railway station is still submerged under about 10-12 feet of water, the resumption of the rail services will take some more time.

Mr Gandhi said the Kawas station linking Jodhpur and Barmer was submerged under water and it may take another month for the state agencies to drain out the water.

''The restoration work of the track would require a few weeks' time. So the resumption of the train service before November is very remote and this has been communicated to the Pakistan railway authorities,'' he added.

It has been learned that the Railway Board has shot down a proposal of originating the train from Barmer instead of Jodhpur as the Ministries of Home Affairs and External Affairs have disapproved the proposal.

Meanwhile, the Pakistani nationals stranded here after the suspension of the Thar Express on August 24, have been provided with the option of returning home via Atari.

UNI PJJ SK BST1636