FAISALABAD Residents of Gangapur, a village established by Sir Ganga Ram in Jaranwala, enjoy a horse-train ride to reach nearby Buchiana railway station. The train pulled by one horse can accommodate 15 people. The track was revived after 17 years by the district administration, Jaranwala TMA and the area people. The three-kilometre track from Buchiana railway station to Gangapur was launched in 1903 in Chak 591-GB that served the villagers until 1993. The facility was suspended in 1993 when the track was stolen.
Munawwar Ahmad Khan, former union council 47 nazim, campaigned for the revival of the project to facilitate the area people with this cheap mode of transportation.
The district government contributed Rs3.3 million, the Jaranwala Tehsil Municipal Administration (TMA) Rs40,000 and villagers Rs1.7 million to restart the facility.
Talking to Dawn, Mr Khan said it took four years to resume the facility for the villagers as none of the government department was ready to help them. He said the facility was an antique and historical thing that reflected the vision of Sir Ganga Ram. He said the district administration would also place the model of horse-trains at under-construction Lyallpur Museum.
Sir Ganga Ram was an executive engineer by profession and a man behind the construction of various city buildings like Lahore museum, Aitcheson College, Mayo School of Arts, Lahore High Court and Lahore General Post Office.
