New coaches inducted to modernise Railways: Rashid

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that Pakistan Railways was being modernised with the induction of new coaches to help facilitate passengers with latest travelling services.
He expressed these views while inaugurating the refurbished coaches of Tezgam Express at railway station here on Tuesday, where he also see off the Tezgam Express bound for Karachi at 8.00 am. In this renovated Tezgam Express train, besides refurbishing the old coaches five new complete air-conditioned and one upper class air-conditioned coaches have been inducted to provide passengers with better travelling facilities.
Sheikh Rashid said, "we want to make Pakistan Railways a source of expedient service for the passengers," adding that with reforms, being introduced in Pakistan Railways, an era of development and progress would emerge. The minister also directed the Railways authorities to enhance sitting arrangement capacity for the passengers at waiting rooms at platforms.
The minister said: "Our priority is to enhance confidence of the people in service of Pakistan Railways, which he said was being improved." Sheikh Rashid, later talking to journalists, said tenders for the Mass Transit Rawalpindi-Islamabad train had been invited, adding that with this facility being introduced thousands of passengers especially the government employees would be benefited.
He said besides Rawalpindi-Islamabad Mass Transit train was also being introduced in Queta, Karachi Lahore and Peshawar. Giving details about the revitalisation and transformation of Pakistan Railways, the Federal Minister said railway track from Wazirabad to Lahore was being doubled initially. Later on more tracks would be doubled, he added.
He said 50,000 employees of Pakistan Railways; the technical staff would be imparted with necessary training abroad to enhance their professional skill and expertise for improvement of Railways system in line with the latest requirements, he asserted. Moreover, he said a new waiting room was also being constructed at Rawalpindi Railway Station at a cost of five million rupees to facilitate the passengers at the station.
General Manager Asad Saeed, Managing Director Pakistan Carriage Factory Syed Shahid Ahmed, Divisional Superintendence Muhammad Hayat Malik, Deputy Divisional Superintendent Syed Manawar Shah and other senior officials of Pakistan Railways were also present on the occasion.