‘Persia – especially Seistan’ [‎81r] (160/949)

5
Its vulnerable points are south of Chageh; at Ekmach, where a track
crosses the mountains from Arhu; at Mushki Chah, near which place a caravan
road leads to Rudbar; and the portion nearest Robat.
With the assistance of a branch to Bund-i-Kamal Khan a small force
could operate very effectively against an army advancing up the Helmand.
Stations .—It would be premature to make any suggestions regarding
stations. Probably there will he two watering stations; Dalbandin, a small
civil station, and the only bazar on the line; and Kondi, where the junction
with the railway to the coast would he.
Neither is very suitable, as the water-supply of both is deficient in quan
tity and bad in quality.
By purchasing the Dalbandin karez, and piping the water, enough would
be obtained for ordinary requirements. The wells at the Kondi Thana are
slightly brackish and not very free-flowing.
Ekmach and the sandhill tract, where I believe the supply would be
adequate, are badly situated for changing stations.
Materials —Are non-existent except ballast and sand. The latter is not
always obtainable.
Bricks could he burnt with coal dust near Baghak.
Estimates .—Taking Bund-i-Seistan as our objective, purely for the pur
poses of comparison, it will he seen from the report on the Helmand route that
the cost of this line is rather less than that of the shorter route via the Helmand,
but the difference is inappreciable.
Us.
(i) 344 ) miles of surface and light line from Nushki to Afghan
frontier, @ Rs. 55,000 per mile ... ... 1 , 89 , 20,000
22 miles heavy sand inside ditto, @ Rs. 1 , 00,000
per mile ... ... ... ... 22,00,000
66 miles easy line ditto, @ Rs. 70,000 per mile 46 , 20,000
2 , 57 , 40,000 or, say,
2£ crores in all.
(ii) From Nushki to Robat, 360 miles, @ Rs. 55,000 |per mile : Rs. 1 , 98 , 00 , 000 , or, say,
2 crores.
In the foregoing figures provision is made for 621b rails, steel trough
sleepers, a small amount of rolling-stock, with station arrangements and
quarters on a modest scale.
Programme for Survey and Construction .—Arrangements would entirely
depend upon whether the work had to be pushed or not. Under ordinary condi
tions, two strong survey parties could stake out the line to the Persian or Afghan
frontier in a full working season.
One should start at Nushki and the other at Ekmach. They should be
well equipped with transport and pakhals.
If the work were urgent, and construction had to be commenced without
* Two would be sufficient if a route free from sand delay, three Survey parties* Would be
is obtained north of the sandhills. required. One at Nushki; one at Mull,
some thirty miles further on; and the third at the sandhills near Dalbandin.
Parties 1 and 2 , as they finished their lengths, could either go on construction,
or take up new positions ahead, according to the rate plate-laying was progress
ing, and the start that party No. 3 had of railhead. Plate-laying could be
begun within a month of the first party’s taking the field.
The time occupied in completing the line to the frontier will entirely
depend upon the promptness with which permanent-way materials come to
hand, and upon the rate of plate-laying. With adequate arrangements Robat
could be reached in less than two years, a very moderate estimate.
In making this reconnaissance I was greatly assisted by information
kindly given me by Colonel McMahon, Mr. Tate of the Survey of India, and
Captain Webb Ware.