HYDERABAD, Aug 3: The Thar Express will operate from the Hyderabad railway station on Friday night, instead of the Cantonment railway station, Karachi, irrespective of whether an alternative rail link is put in place between Ran Pathani and Dhabeji or not by tomorrow as expected.

The decision was taken by railway authorities on Thursday to ensure the commitment with India is met.

Railway authorities hope the link will be restored by Friday and the entire rail battery of Friday evening will run from Karachi for upcountry destinations. There will be delays in arrivals and departures at Karachi and Hyderabad stations because trains will have to be run at a speed of 10 kilometres per hour.

According to railway authorities, engineers are working round-the-clock to make sure the alternative route is put in place by Friday evening to restore up- and down-country traffic.

The Thar Express will operate from Hyderabad because authorities do not want delay in its departure.

“It has been decided that the Thar Express will run from Hyderabad because only passengers of Karachi will have to be transported to Hyderabad through buses. Actually, we will not take risk that the Thar Express should cross through the alternative route which is to be cleared after a trial and in case engineers did not clear it then it will lead to a big problem,” said the divisional superintendent of railways, Karachi division, Syed Nasir Zaidi.

He said the federal railways minister had visited the site on Thursday.

The scheduled arrival time of the Thar Express from the Karachi Cantonment station at Hyderabad is 1:40am and after a stoppage of around 20 minutes it leaves for Mirpurkhas before reaching Zero Point on Saturday morning at 9am. The leaves Karachi at around 11pm on Friday. As per schedule, it has to return on Saturday night but on account of inadequate facilities at Zero Point until few weeks back, it had been reaching Hyderabad on Sunday.

In case rail link is not restored through an alternative route till Saturday, the Thar Express will terminate at Hyderabad station. Passengers, who are otherwise scheduled to reach Karachi, will have to board buses from here.

On Friday, the departure from Hyderabad is likely to be delayed because passengers from Karachi will arrive here through buses that are reaching here late on account of diversions on the Super Highway.

Railway authorities have established relief and information centres outside the Hyderabad railway station. Food is now being provided to upcountry passengers because of delayed departure of trains.

The up- and down-country track is lying closed since Sunday evening after a railway bridge, 100 kilometre from here, was washed away by rainwater.