Engine availability puts Indo-Pak trade back on track

A day after Hindustan Times reported that the Indo-Pak trade through the rail route was stuck for the past one week, normal trading operations recommenced on Friday, as the 72 wagons loaded with imports from Pakistan and stranded at Attari railway station since June 1reached Amritsar.

A day after Hindustan Times reported that the Indo-Pak trade through the rail route was stuck for the past one week, normal trading operations recommenced on Friday, as the 72 wagons loaded with imports from Pakistan and stranded at Attari railway station since June 1reached Amritsar.

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The news report had also mentioned how Indian exports worth crores loaded on more than 100 trucks were awaiting loading on the wagons for further transportation to Pakistan. Railway officials had claimed that the situation had resulted from non-availability of train engines to haul these wagons to Amritsar railway station. This had caused unnecessary anxiety to Indian traders, who had maintained that they had talked to railway officials concerned but to no avail.

However, on Friday morning, these traders heaved a collective sigh of relief after the first goods train reached Amritsar after a wait of six days. While the imported items were unloaded, goods meant for export to Pakistan were loaded on the empty wagons.

A railway official said that an engine had been made available and two more goods trains had since arrived from Pakistan with imports.

Traders write to railways

Meanwhile, miffed over the alleged apathy of the railways officials that led to derailment of the cross-border trade for nearly a week, the Amritsar Exporters Chamber of Commerce has written to the Ferozepur divisional railway manager, demanding urgent steps to ensure that bilateral trade was not affected in future.

Chamber general secretary Rajesh Setia said that the DRM had been apprised of the losses suffered by businessmen.