LAHORE – Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmad Saturday said that fournew passenger trains were in pipeline and announcement to this effect wouldsoon be made to facilitate those areas where road network was not good.
Addressing a press conference after chairing several meetings about therailways here at the PR Headquarters, he said that Prime Minister ImranKhan would inaugurate ‘Thal Express’ train on February 12, besides theinauguration of tracking system in trains.
He said that ‘Thal Express’ train would run between Rawalpindi and Multanvia Muzafargarh, Layyah, Bhakar, Kundian and Mianwali. “I will personallymonitor the train and track on February 13,” he added. He saluted the PRworkers for their efforts to provide coaches for newly introduced trains.
The minister also informed that a new VVIP train ‘Jinnah Express’ betweenLahore and Karachi, would be operative from March 30, whereas another VVIPtrain ‘Sir Syed Express’ train would also be introduced later. He said thatfive major railway stations of the country including Karachi, Lahore,Peshawar, Haiderabad and Rawalpindi would be renovated immediately.
Criticising the previous government, the minister said that former federalminister for planning Ahsan Iqbal wasted Rs 2 billion on the constructionof Narowal and Okara like railway stations where income was lower than Rs600,000 even, whereas not a single penny had been spent at Lahore andKarachi railway stations.
He announced that he would visit Karachi and Lahore on every week whilePR’s freight headquarters had been shifted to Karachi. He vowed thatcitizens would be able to enjoy world class facilities at railway stationsand in trains within 2 to 3 months.
Sheikh Rashid said that divisional superintendents had been given authorityto manage their respective divisions matters including land and travelingwithout tickets. He said that four freight trains would also be increasedin the system and wished that he wanted to increase the number of freighttrains from 8 to 20.
He said that a meeting on ML-1 had been scheduled for the next month andthe masses would hear a good news about it, adding that a high levelcabinet committee had also been constituted in this regard.
He said that ticket dodgers were causing Rs 60 million per week loss to therailways, however, the number of ticket-dodgers had been reduced due tostrict policy by the department. The minister hinted at using helicopterfor raids at trains to check ticket-dodgers.
He informed that three railways schools had been shutdown while tenderswould be given soon for giving all railways hospitals and schools to theprivate parties to run.
He said that divisional superintendents had been directed to ensurecleanliness and greenery in their respective areas.