ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways (PR) as yet has not taken any decision for restoring operations of Akbar Bugti Express running between Lahore and Quetta city, PR Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aamir Baloch said.
Addressing an online event, the Railway CEO here on Thursday said that train service would be restored gradually based on resource availability, saying that currently, the entity was making all-out efforts to come out of the financial crisis. Baloch revealed that a new train timetable was set to be implemented from March 15.
He further said the restoration of Sandal and Khushhal Khan Khattak Express trains is linked with the availability of financial resources. He said the PR management was trying to generate financial resources through various means so that timely salaries to the railways’ employees could be made possible.
Furthermore, he said the PR management had successfully reduced the duration of delay in employees’ salary, attributing it to enhanced revenue generation, with further reductions anticipated in the future.
He highlighted ongoing efforts to enhance track conditions in the Main Line Sukkur Division and mentioned plans to increase the number of trains over time, with improvements expected to reduce engineering restrictions.
Regarding specific routes, Baloch indicated that the decision to restore Akbar Bugti Express was pending. He assured the public of special Eid trains and improved facilities during the festive season.
In terms of infrastructure, Baloch mentioned the timely completion of a manufacturing project for 230 new coaches, with Chinese collaboration. He underscored the significance of passenger service over personal interests, emphasising that train seats were meant for passengers, not employees.
Addressing concerns about staff behaviour and misuse of railway quarters, Baloch instructed the authorities to investigate complaints thoroughly. He warned of strict action against those found renting out railway quarters to unauthorised individuals, reaffirming that such accommodations were reserved solely for government employees.
The CEO also instructed authorities to address complaints regarding staff behaviour on Ghouri Express. The press conference, which lasted two hours, received over 5,000 comments, reflecting the public’s keen interest and engagement in Pakistan Railways’ operations and improvements.
Talking about the upgradation of PR, Baloch said the organisation’s work on manufacturing 230 new passenger coaches has been completed and 46 manufactured coaches from China have already reached Pakistan, which will greatly help improve PR operations.
The PR chief said that Railways was not in a position to reserve seat quota for PR employees as seats are for passengers.
The PR has beefed up precautionary measures to reduce passenger train accidents and only six minor accidents with no causality took place on the entire railway network in the country during the last four months. “Only two train accidents have taken place in September, no accident happened in October and four train accidents occurred in November due to effective steps of the department”.
The drastic decrease in accidents has been witnessed due to the efforts being undertaken to reduce trespassing at unmanned level crossings and unauthorised locations, he added.
“Our staff is continuously monitoring the railway tracks across the country and conducting thorough inspection of the trains as the safety of the passengers is the top priority of the department,” he said.
He further said the department was taking several steps to improve the Railway services including the issues related to tracking maintenance that was given top priority.
He said the punctuality of trains was improved and all the trains were being monitored, reviewed, and rectified while to facilitate the passengers, a mobile application “Pak rail live” has also been launched for real-time tracking of trains.
He said the first aid box/emergency kits were available with in-charge guards in all running trains who were trained in first aid and provided first aid to ill passengers.
The official said Pakistan Railways was also set to introduce the “Train Driver Assistant System (TDAS)” to help train drivers a clear view of the railway tracks up to an impressive distance of 700 meters.
“The technology aims at enhancing the safety and efficiency of train operations during adverse weather conditions, particularly in the presence of dense smog and fog.”
The system, he said the TDAS was set to revolutionise the way trains navigated through foggy landscapes. It promised not only to avert potential accidents but also to facilitate smooth rail travel when visibility is severely compromised.
He said the capabilities of this digital system extended beyond improved visibility; it can also identify and monitor vital elements such as signals, level crossings, gates, track obstructions, and other potential hazards within the same 700-meter radius.
The official said the system is not only expected to facilitate timely train movements on foggy days but will also be instrumental in averting accidents during severe foggy weather, enhancing the overall safety and efficiency of Pakistan’s railway network.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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