Islamabad: Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbassi has announced that a five special trains will be run on Eid Ul Azha.
The Railways Minister further apprised that 20 percent discount on fares will be given to passengers on three days of Eid.
Hanif Abbassi said that the Railways performace remained splendid in the last 11 months while the Railways earned a whopping income of Rs 83 billion.
He said that major improvmentin the Railways performance happened during the last four months.
He also announced to outsource frieght trains saying the world earns income from the frieght trains.
Elaborating the ministry earned income, he apprised that a staggering Rs 42 billion were earned from passenger services.
On the other hand Rs 29 billion earned from the freight services while Rs 13 billion earned from other sources.
He said that all the railways employees were getting salaries through the ministry itself adding that the railways were also earning the income from its leased properties.
As per the vision of the premier, the Minister said that Royal Palm is being outsourced adding bids process will be transparent and will be opened in front of all.
He apprised that Rs one billion budget is allocated for the eight hospiltals of the Pakistan railways while preparations are underway to outsource these hospitals.
He said that all the railways employees will be provided treatment facilities while tratement charges will be charged to the non-employees in all the railways hospitals.
He further informed that it has been decided that all the railways schools will be outsourced and facilities of private schools will be provided adding that school fees will be received from the railways employees as per the conditions of Pakistan railways.
The minister highlighted ongoing infrastructure improvements, including enhanced cleanliness at Chaklala and Margalla stations and stricter monitoring of food services with support from provincial food authorities. To improve passenger experience, front-desk services and train hostesses will be introduced.
An anti-encroachment campaign modeled after Punjab’s efforts will be launched to reclaim valuable railway land, including station yards and residential, commercial, and agricultural areas.
Abbasi said the Punjab government is fully supporting these initiatives.
He apprised that several stalled projects since 2016 are now being revived, with plans to plant trees along railway tracks under the Green Pakistan initiative.
A Rs45 billion development plan for Punjab aims to increase train speeds to 60 km per hour, supported by the production of 1,413 new wagons, he added.
He informed that starting June 15, a new passenger train will operate between Lahore and Narowal, coinciding with the dispatch of a freight train bound for Russia via Multan and Sindh.
He furthered that work on a rail link with Kazakhstan is also progressing, which is crucial for transporting resources from the Reko Diq and Thar coal fields.
Abbasi confirmed the closure of three inactive companies related to freight and audit operations and said Margalla Railway Station would be modernized.
He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to fulfilling all agreements with the media and expressed confidence in a bright future for Pakistan Railways.
