Mandra–Bhaun Branch Line

{{Infobox rail line

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| name = Mandra–Bhaun Branch Line

| native_name = {{Nastaliq|مندرہ–بھون }}

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| status = Dismantled

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| start = Mandra Junction

| end = Bhaun

| stations = 13

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| open = {{Start date|1915}}

| event1label = District's

| event1 = Rawalpindi & Chakwal

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| close = {{End date|1993||}}

| owner = Pakistan Railways

| operator = Pakistan Railways

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| linelength = {{convert|74|km|mi|abbr=on}}

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{{Routemap

| title = Mandra-Bhaun Railway

| map = ~~Kilometers~~

\KBHFa~~0~~Bhaun Railway Station

\KBHFa~~11~~Chakwal railway station

\HST~~31~~Dhudial railway station

\HST~~40~~Sayyad Kasran railway station

\HST~~52~~Daulatala railway station

\HST~~61~~Sukho railway station

\KBHFa~~74~~Mandra Junction Railway Station

\HST~~ ~~Rawalpindi Railway Station

}}

Mandra–Bhaun Branch Line ({{langx|ur|{{Nastaliq|مندرہ–بھون برانچ لائن}}}) was one of several railway lines in Pakistan, operated and maintained by Pakistan Railways. The line began at Mandra Junction{{Cite web|url=https://pakistani.pk/mandra-junction-railway-station/|title=Mandra Junction Railway Station|date=28 April 2023|website=pakistani.pk}} and ended at Bhaun, a village about {{convert|12|km|mi|abbr=off}} south of the Chakwal city,{{cite news|last1=Dhakku|first1=Nabeel Anwar|title=100-year-old railway track yearns for revival|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1179691|accessdate=12 May 2017|work=Dawn|location=Pakistan|date=3 May 2015|language=en}} at the foothills of Salt Range.{{cite news|author1=Nabeel Anwar Dhakku|title=Plea to revive Mandra-Chakwal railway line|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/873175/plea-to-revive-mandra-chakwal-railway-line|accessdate=12 May 2017|work=Dawn|date=14 June 2009|location=Chakwal, Pakistan|language=en}} The total length of this railway line was {{convert|74|km|mi|abbr=off}} with 8 railway stations.{{Cite web |title=[IRFCA] Pakistan - Closed Sections |url=https://www.irfca.org/docs/pak-closed-sections.html |access-date=2024-07-16 |website=www.irfca.org}}

History

A railway line between Bhaun and Mandra was originally proposed to freight and ore from the mineral rich area of Chakwal, at the turn of the 20th century.[http://searcharchives.bl.uk/primo_library/libweb/action/search.do?vid=IAMS_VU2 "British Library Archives and Manuscripts Catalogue" – Search]; Retrieved 26 January 2016 In 1913, the North Western State Railway began constriction began of the line. The 44 kilometer Mandra–Dhudial section was opened on 1 May 1915, the Dhudial–Chakwal section was opened on 1 June 1915 and the Chakwal-Bhaun section was opened on 15 January 1916.[https://archive.org/stream/BombayBarodaAndCentralIndiaRailwaySystem/Bombay_Baroda_And_Central_India_Railway_System#page/n124/mode/2up " Administration Report on the Railways in India – corrected up to 31st March 1918"; Superintendent of Government Printing, Calcutta; page 116]; Retrieved 26 January 2016 In 1993, against the wishes of the locals, the railway line was abandoned and dismantled. It is alleged that the Nawaz Sharif government allowed the dismantling to occur, as some members of the ruling government had intricate ties to the private road transport businesses of the region.{{cite news|author1=Mumtaz Alvi|title=Proposal to revive Mandra-Chakwal-Bhoun rail link hailed|url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/200808-Proposal-to-revive-Mandra-Chakwal-Bhoun-rail-link-hailed|accessdate=12 May 2017|work=thenews.com.pk|date=26 April 2017|location=ISLAMABAD|language=en}} In 1997, the Supreme Court took notice of the dismantling and a categorical assurance was given by Pakistan Railways to revive the rail section.{{cite news|author1=Iftikhar A. Khan|author2=Nabeel Anwar Dhakku|title=PM urged to revive old Mandra-Chakwal railway line|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1325165|accessdate=12 May 2017|work=Dawn|date=6 April 2017|location=Islamabad, Pakistan|language=en}} In 2007, Pakistan Railways finalized a plan to reconstruct the line and resume rail services.{{cite news|title=Bhaun rail service to be resumed|url=https://www.dawn.com/news/230336|accessdate=12 May 2017|work=Dawn|date=29 January 2007|location=Rawalpindi, Pakistan|language=en}} Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, who was then Minister of Railways, promised to revive the railway line within one and half year at the cost of {{PKRConvert|2|B}}.{{Citation | title=Minister- Mandra-Bhaun track to be completed within one and half year: Sh. Rashid informed | journal=PPI – Pakistan Press International | publication-date=2007-02-27 | publisher=Asia Pulse Pty Ltd | url=http://trove.nla.gov.au/work/120653142 | accessdate=13 May 2017 }} Again, Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique proposed to revive the still defunct railway line in 2017.

Stations

References

Category:Closed railway lines in Pakistan

Category:Railway lines opened in 1915

Category:Railway lines closed in 1993

Category:5 ft 6 in gauge railways in Pakistan

Category:Railway stations on Mandra–Bhaun Railway Line

Mandra–Bhaun Branch Line

History

Stations

See also

References