In 1997, the Customs and Central Excise Commisionerate in Chandigarh was broken up and a separate commissioner appointed for Amritsar. In the summer of 1999, the 500-odd class IV security staff in Chandigarh went on a month's strike demanding transfer to Attari under a common cadre programme. The cosy existence has obviously fetched generous returns. Others are in Kotli and Ranjitbagh, both in Gurdaspur district. They could offer no coherent explanation as to why they left faraway Muzaffarnagar to lease out orchards on the Indo-Pakistani border.
Intelligence officials say the orchards serve a dual purpose.
One, since agricultural income is not taxed, earnings from these can be inflated to launder money. Two, since they lie on the Amritsar-Pathankot road that leads to Jammu, they could be used as sanctuary for militants. With zero romance and even less hygiene, Samjhauta is not one of the great trains of the world. Nevertheless, if a single rail route can foster an entire black economy, this is it. The gravy train can yet be derailed.