Thar Express to resume its journey after March 3

New Delhi, Jan 23 (UNI) The resumption of the Thar Express, connecting Munabao in India and Khokrapar in Pakistan's Sindh province, which was suspended following last year's deluge marooning the tracks, is expected anytime after March 3, a Railway Ministry official said today.

''The repairing work is still continuing on the Indian side of the Munabao-Khokhrapar railway line after the region witnessed torrential rains in last year's monsoon,'' Mr Deepak Gupta, Director (Traffic), Railway Board, told UNI on the sidelines of an event here.

''The resumption of the Thar Express will begin in the week after March 3 after water is fully drained out from the tracks,'' he said.

He said Kawas railway station is still submerged under the flood waters and the resumption of the train will depend on the dewatering of submerged rail track and the railway station.

''We have reports from our officials in Munabao that water will by fully drained out by March 3, and the week following it will most possibly mark the resumption of the train,'' Mr Gupta added.

''We have no other option except to wait for the dewatering of the marooned railway tracks. But we are optimistic of meeting the March 3 deadline.'' He, however, expressed ignorance about Pakistan Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad's reported statement that at first the passenger train would run on Khokhrapar-Munabao route and, thereafter, the freight train.

UNI