Lodhi Colony Station: A Silent Witness to Partition
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Lodhi Colony Station: A Silent Witness to Partition
- Lodhi Colony Railway Station in Delhi served as a key departure point for thousands of Muslims migrating to Pakistan during the Partition of India in 1947, with trains running regularly to Lahore from August to November of that year.
- The station's proximity to refugee camps at Purana Qila and Humayun's Tomb made it a strategic location for these departures, which included government employees and families like that of former Pakistani fast bowler Sikander Bakht.
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Lodhi Colony Railway Station, often quiet today, holds a profound historical significance as a site of immense human migration and sorrow during the 1947 Partition of India. In the turbulent months following the division of British India into India and Pakistan, this station became a crucial departure point for countless Muslims leaving their homes for the newly formed Pakistan.
Trains began running between Delhi and Lahore in the second week of August 1947 and continued until November 22, 1947. During this period, two to three trains would depart daily from Lodhi Colony Station for Lahore, typically in the morning to ensure they reached their destination during daylight hours, a critical safety measure as trains were frequent targets for rioters.
The station’s selection for these departures was largely due to its proximity to major refugee camps, such as those at Purana Qila and Humayun’s Tomb, where Muslims awaiting their journey to Pakistan were housed. Additionally, railway authorities aimed to keep those departing for Pakistan separate from Hindu and Sikh refugees arriving from across the new border. These trains were often severely overcrowded, with passengers, including the elderly, children, and pregnant women, sometimes even traveling on the roofs of the carriages. Many government employees, particularly those from the railways, also utilized these special trains, with additional coaches often attached at New Delhi Railway Station for them.
The journeys were fraught with danger, as trains were frequently attacked and looted by mobs, leading to tragic loss of life. An estimated 700,000 refugees traveled by train between August 15 and September 8, 1947, alone. Today, the station stands as a poignant reminder of this tumultuous period, its quiet atmosphere a stark contrast to the emotional goodbyes and desperate departures it once witnessed.