Mandra–Bhaun Branch Line () was one of several railway lines in Pakistan, operated and maintained by Pakistan Railways. The line began at and ended at Bhaun, a town about south of the Chakwal city, at the foothills of Salt Range in Punjab. The total length of this railway line was with 14 railway stations.
History A railway line between Bhaun and Mandra was originally proposed to transport freight and ore from the mineral-rich area of Chakwal, at the turn of the 20th century. "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. " 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. In 1997, the Supreme Court took notice of the dismantling and a categorical assurance was given by Pakistan Railways to revive the rail section. In 2007, Pakistan Railways finalized a plan to reconstruct the line and resume rail services. Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, who was then Minister of Railways, promised to revive the railway line within one and half year at the cost of . Again, Minister of Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique proposed to revive the still defunct railway line in 2017.
Stations
also called Sangh
See also Karachi–Peshawar Railway Line Railway lines in Pakistan Pakistan Railways
References