New Delhi, Oct 24: New Delhi’s offer to open the old Munabao-Khokrapar rail link between Rajasthan and Sindh in Pakistan has prompted the Railway to step up work on gauge conversion of the tracks. Word’s gone out that if there’s a yes from Islamabad then the Railway should be in a position to reactivate the link within weeks. The re-opening of the link — it has not been used ever since the 1965 war — will be a big help for people on either side of the Rajasthan-Sindh border. Just 100 km separates Barmer from towns in Sindh but people have had to take the circuitous route via the Punjab border to get to the other side. Before Partition, it was the Munabao-Khokrapar link which served the trade route to Karachi port via Hyderabad in Sindh.

Gauge conversion of the century-old railway line between Luni and Munabao, passing through Barmer, is already two-thirds complete. Given the strategic importance of the line, work is being done in close coordination with the Ministry of Defence which is also paying over Rs 1,000 crore for the project. A senior railway official in Delhi said: ‘‘We can complete the gauge conversion work on the entire 350 km line in less than a year. But it will take us just three months to activate the Munabao-Khokrapar link where the track already exists. Depending on Pakistan’s response, we can carry out conversion of the track (from metre to broad gauge) on this stretch on a priority.’’ Gauge conversion of the Luni-Munabao line had begun after India made a similar offer in 2001 ahead of the Agra summit. India had also decided to open visa check posts at Munabao. The conversion of the 230 km stretch between Luni and Barmer town has already been completed. It’s only the 120 km stretch between Barmer and Munabao which remains to be done. The Munabao-Khokrapar link between the two countries was functional until the 1965 war. ‘‘It was busier than the Wagah-Attari link since 95 per cent movement between the two countries is from this area. Re-opening of this link has been a long standing demand of people on both sides. In fact, it figured prominently in the MQM manifesto there.’’
‘‘But the Pakistan government seems to be reluctant on reviving the link owing to the strategic vulnerability of Sindh. Plus the Wagah-Attari link is far more lucrative for them,’’ the railway official pointed out.
Opening of the link has many advantages and, as railway officials put it, is the only logical thing to do.
‘‘If a person has to travel from Barmer to Sindh, which is less than 100 km, he has to undertake a 2,500 km long journey. From Barmer, he will first go to Delhi for visa, then travel to Lahore via Wagah and then to Sindh. In fact, the demand for opening this travel route is greater on the Pakistan side,’’ an official said.