Pakistan Railways (PR) has accelerated the upgradation work involving the private sector to improve services in passenger trains as well as major railway stations to address the growing issues, especially sanitation issues. “The department was of the view that the cleanliness-related services in trains and at major stations, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Khanewal, Sukkur, Sahiwal, Multan and Bahawalpur were not satisfactory,” an official in the Ministry told APP.
He said that if services of the private sector were hired under a fast-track policy, the hygiene conditions at stations and in trains could be improved which would also restore the confidence of passengers in the department. The official said Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique asked the officials to accelerate efforts to bring uniformity in the design and signboards of stalls at the major railway stations under a policy.
He said that Saad Rafique was curious to quickly devise a policy in a bid to bring uniformity in the design of all the stalls. It is pertinent to mention here that last year Pakistan Railways decided to engage the private sector to increase profit by improving services at major stations. “The services required to be improved included renovation and construction of washrooms and their maintenance and other janitorial services at platforms, waiting for areas and yards,” he added.
To a question, he said that Pakistan Railways has also started upgradation work of its five major railway stations across the country on modern lines to facilitate the passengers and help the department to generate more revenues.—APP
