During a
recent excursion to the border villages of Minchin Abad in Bahawalnagar to
capture the wildlife of the area, I had the opportunity to visit the historic
Mandi Sadiq Ganj Junction Railway station. This station, established in 1892
during the British colonial era, was an essential part of our journey's
culmination.
Origin and
Naming
Originally
named 'Mac Loed Ganj Road Junction,' this railway station is situated 12
kilometers south of Mac Loed Ganj town. Both the town and the junction were
named after Sir Donald McLeod, a distinguished British colonial administrator
who served as the lieutenant governor of the Punjab in British India from 1865
to 1870.
Sir Donald
McLeod's Background
Sir Donald
McLeod's roots trace back to Fort William in Calcutta, then a part of the
Bengal Presidency. His father, Duncan McLeod, a Scotsman, later became a
lieutenant general of the Bengal engineers and achieved recognition for
designing the Hazarduari Palace. His mother, Henrietta Friell, belonged
maternally to the Boileau of Castelnau family.
Southern
Punjab Railway (SPR)
The
Southern Punjab Railway (SPR), operating on a 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in) broad gauge,
was established to create a more direct route from Karachi to Delhi. It linked
with the original Indus Valley State Railway at Samasata, bypassing the North
Western Railway loop via Lahore. The Delhi-Bhatinda-Samasatta line was
inaugurated by the Southern Punjab Railway Co. in 1897, passing through
Muktasar and Fazilka tehsils. This line provided a direct connection to Karachi
through Samma Satta (now in Pakistan). The extension from the Macleodganj
(later renamed Mandi Sadiqganj and now in Pakistan) railway line to Ludhiana
was opened by the same company in 1905. The 42 km (26 mi) new 1,676 mm (5 ft 6
in) wide broad gauge line between Fazilka and Abohar was opened in 2012.
Development
and Connections
Initially,
the rail service introduced by the Southern Punjab Railway Company spanned 257
kilometers, connecting Delhi, Bhatinda, and Samma Satta. One part of the track
extended from Samma Satta to Amrooka at the Pakistan-India border, linking
various stations like Baghdad-ul-Jadeed, Khairpur, Tamewali, Qaimpur, Hasilpur,
Chishtian, Bahawalnagar, and Mandi Sadiq Ganj to Ferozpur and Amrooka stations
through multiple lines.
Additionally,
another railway track was laid between Bhatinda and Hindumal Kot in the Indian
state. Before the subcontinent's partition, this railway line served as a
crucial route connecting Delhi and Karachi, playing a significant role in
transportation and trade.
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The Mac
Loed Ganj Road Junction stands as an exemplar of colonial-era architecture,
featuring an elegant Colonial-style building that remains remarkably
well-preserved. Its establishment marked the genesis of the adjacent town,
Mandi Sadiq Ganj, named after Nawab Sadiq V. During the era of the Sutlej
Valley Project from 1922 to 1933, Mandi Sadiq Ganj emerged as a vibrant center
for commerce and business activities.
The
Samarsata Bathinda-Delhi railway line played a pivotal role in enhancing
connectivity between regions, fostering trade, expediting the movement of
agricultural produce and goods, and contributing significantly to
socio-economic development. The Mac Loed Ganj Road Junction, existing prior to
Bahawalnagar and Minchinabad and serving numerous railway lines, boasted
distinctive features, including two water towers with cast iron water tanks
supplying steam engines. Traces of the intricate valve systems of the pipeline
leading to these tanks are still visible. Adjacent to these towers, a sizable
pond exists, rumored to be the site where a jet plane crashed during the 1971 Pakistan-India
war, with its debris never recovered.
Historical
records document notable personalities who visited or stayed at this junction,
including Quaid Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, who purportedly
spent a night here before Pakistan's inception. The site once accommodated a
guest house and staff colony and found mention in the works of acclaimed writer
Intezar Hussain.
Despite the
cessation of train services on these tracks since July 26, 2011, the building
remains in its original condition, cherished by local residents as a heritage
site. Locals express a shared desire to preserve this historical station,
considering conversion into a museum or town hall to safeguard its rich
heritage.
At its
zenith in 1935, the Railways Junction served as a crucial link connecting
Karachi, Delhi, and Lahore, witnessing regular freight train operations from
Quetta to Delhi. In 1970, the local Chairman, Moulvi Abdul Aziz, renamed it
Mandi Sadiq Ganj.
Preserving
such historical treasures ensures the remembrance and acknowledgment of our
heritage, representing pivotal moments in our history. Not only should their
protection be prioritized, but their original names should remain unchanged, as
it serves as another way of understanding and learning history.
