The bricks, doors and even the foundations of the residences of the station master and other staff were stolen from the railway station. photos: express
RAWALPINDI: The ancient railway station of Bhera a city with a history of 2,000 years – which was built 200 years ago during the British era, has completely turned into a ruin.
The train which travelled thrice in a day over a distance of 28 kilometres between Malkwal to Bhera was already stopped.
Due to the negligence of the Pakistan Railways, the bricks, doors and even the foundations of the residences of the station master and other staff were stolen from the railway station.
The furniture, doors, fans and electrical
wiring were removed from the main railway station building, passenger hall, canteen, booking office, parcel warehouse, station master’s office and the first class passenger lodge.
The railway track also disappeared. Due to the disintegration of the platform, the local people started tying the animals in the railway buildings as the busiest railway station of the Iway station of the past turned into a haunted place.
At first, the trains with steam engines and later diesel engines would leave the Malakwal Railway Junction three times and would reach the Bhera Railway Station after staying at Miyani and Huzoorpur Railway Station.
The trains would carry grains, vegetables and fruits from Bhera along with three coaches full of passengers to their destination.
The big names of domestic politics belonging to this historic city, who are no longer in this world today, include former prime minister, former Punjab chief minister Malik Feroz Khan Noon, former chief justice of the Federal Sharia Court Pir Karam Shah Al-Azhari, and former federal finance minister Ehsanul Haque.
Member National Assembly Dr Malik Mukhtar Bharat, former MNA Nadeem Afzal Chan, and former federal minister of state for religious affairs Pir Aminul Hasanat are still active in the field of politics.
Suggestions have been sent to the federal government and the railway department to give railway heritage status to Bhera railway station in the style of Golra Railway Station in Islamabad, in which the history of railways along with the history of Bhera Shah should be preserved for the future generations by the members of the national and provincial assemblies belonging to the city.
With the implementation of these suggestions, not only the historical railway station of Bhera will be able to be restored once again but also the history of Bhera city will be highlighted. The proposals state that the 28 kilometres of the railway track from Malkwal Railway Junction to Bhera can be restored and converted into a heritage site to preserve the railway and Bhera’s history as a new avenue for tourism development as the history of Bhera will also attract tourists.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 23rd, 2023.
