Computerised tickets for reservation of seats in eight out of 18 Mail and Express trains originating from Karachi are being issued at the newly-constructed modern and centrally air-conditioned Pakistan's biggest reservation office at the Cantonment Railway Station.
"The reservation office, which started functioning from February 9, will be formally inaugurated soon," said Aftab Memon, deputy divisional superintendent, Railway Karachi, while talking to APP here on Thursday.
The daily revenue income from this reservation office is growing gradually, and reached Rs 0.8 million mark on February 18 as against the first day sale proceeds of Rs 174,548 on first day of the operation on February 9, said Memon, adding the people intending to travel to upcountry destinations have started visiting this new reservation office where a person in the queue get a reservation slip within two or three minutes.
Divisional Commercial Officer Ashraf Lanjar told APP that eight out of 18 main trains originating from Karachi have been computerised. These are Shalimar Express, Allama Iqbal Express, Korakoram, Tezgam, Awam Express, Karachi Express, Faisalabad Express and Balochistan Express, he added.
Ashraf Lanjar said the remaining trains will also be brought on computers with Sukkur Express to be the first in the near future.
He said that Karachi reservation offices at City Station and now at Cantonment Station are dealing with the reservation of total of about 15,000 seats in AC Sleeper, First Class Sleeper, Lower AC, Parlour and Economy classes and another 1,100 being handled by the Pracs.
Aftab Memon said on first day, February 9, some 496 passengers visited the newly-constructed reservation office and grew to 1,467 on February 18.
He pointed out that at City Reservation office, the daily revenue income stands at about Rs 2.6 to Rs 3 million and it has remained unaffected even after the start of working at new reservation venue.
Ashraf Lanjar said that new facility has brought great relief for intending passengers, adding at the new office a total 45 counters have been set up - 30 in the lower class and 15 in upper class. Of them, at present, 30 have been made operational - 10 at upper class and 20 at lower class - and this number will be increased gradually.
Aftab Memon said a web site, www.pakrail.com is also available at the internet where people can see the accommodation position in various trains and plan their journey accordingly.
He pointed out that facility of return journey reservation is also being provided for Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Faisalabad and Quetta, while this facility for Multan, Sukkur and Hyderabad will also be available soon, adding these stations are also providing reservation facility for journey from Karachi.
Ashraf Lanjar informed that a modern computerised reservation facility is also being developed at the Cantonment Railway Station where previously reservation for economy class used to be done, adding this facility will function round the clock in addition to ones already available at City Station and the new reservation offices where work is done in shifts.
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