Pakistan Railways all set to launch Jaffar Express train service from Peshawar
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PESHAWAR (APP): Pakistan Railways is all set to start Jaffar Express train service from Peshawar to Quetta from Saturday April 15 to provide quality communication services to people of Khyber Pakthunkhwa.
Muhammad Ikram Khan Niazi, Deputy Controller Traffic Pakistan Railways Peshawar division told APP on Friday that all arrangements have been completed for an inauguration of Jafar Express Train, being the first of its kind that would run across all provinces after its launch on Saturday from Peshawar .
Jaffar Express, which is currently running between Rawalpindi and Quetta, will formally depart at 5:30am on Saturday from Peshawar and would reach Quetta about 1400 hours next day in 34 hours after passing through various important cities and towns like Rawalpindi, Lahore, Multan and Rohri, he said.
"The department feels very happy after watching the overwhelming response of the passengers approaching to get tickets and proper seats in Jaffar Express, and most of the seats have been already booked," he said.
"Its fare is very nominal. Rs 1870 will be charged from each passenger intending to travel in Economy Class, Rs 4470 for standard class and Rs 4970 for business class," he said, adding the it would be purely a passengers train service, and that 800 passengers could travel in it at one time. He said the train would promote regional connectivity and national unity.
"I am very happy to hear that Pakistan Railways is starting Jaffar Expressway service from Peshawar as it will save our time viz a viz money as we have to go Rawalpindi earlier to avail the service for Quetta," said Khurshid Khan, a Resident of Nowshera with tourism as hobby .
"Me and my family are planning to book seats in Jaffar Express as we will soon depart for Quetta for tourism purposes besides watching Ziarat Residency where Father of the Nation Quaid e Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had spent last days of his life," Khan said wearing a broad smile.
Muhammad Hanif Gul, Divisional Superintendent (DS) Pakistan Railways Peshawar told APP that Jaffar express was a quality addition in train service for Khyber Pakthunkhwa as hundreds of thousands of passengers would be facilitated.
He said this train is another accomplishment of PMLN Government to improve services for people of KP for which the Prime Minister and Federal Minister for Railways deserve full appreciation," he said.
The train would help bring people of all four provinces closer through an excellent and improved communication infrastructure and railways' network, he said.
Online ticket system has been started and passengers seeking tickets of Jaffar Express and Green-line trains can obtain it through accessing PRs' website, he said, adding the train would help generate significant revenue for Pakistan Railways from KP.
Under CPEC, he said the main Peshawar-Karachi railways' track would be upgraded and revamped to provide speedy and safe service to the passengers and with up-gradation of Peshawar-Karachi track, the trains' speed would reach up to 160 kilometers per hour beside generating more revenue from freight service.
To improve freight service, he said 58 locomotives were obtained from brotherly country China to supply coal for power plants in the country, adding additional Rs 4 to 5 billion could be earned by using freight trains service for transportation of coal from Sahiwal and Jamshuro. This will take the Railways' earnings to new heights after the start of coal transportation as the work on different coal power plants continues with fast pace, he said.
