Modernisation of railways under way

LAHORE: Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that restoration, improvement and modernization work in every department of the railways is under way currently.

Addressing a meeting at the Railway headquarters on Saturday, he said that besides beautification, restoration and rebuilding of the railway stations, the administrative matters were also being improved and rectified by restructuring of the human resource section.

He said that restoration work on Sibi-Harnai railway track was in progress, adding that the track with 8 railway stations was laid in 1884 and 133-km part of the track was being reconstructed.

The minister informed the meeting that five large and three small bridges had been destroyed between Sibi and Khost about 10 years ago, due to which all types of passenger and freight operations had been shut down.

He said that restoration of peace in the country would play a vital role in development of the infrastructure.

He said that Rawalpindi-Kohat railcar was also being relaunched and development work on the track and railway station was under way.

Saad said that the railway stations including Karachi City, Karachi Cantt, Hyderabad, Sukkur, Quetta, Bahawalpur, Sahiwal, Okara, Raiwind, Lahore, Nankana Sahib, Narowal, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi, Hassan Abdal and Peshawar were being rebuilt in the first phase, whereas PC-1 of upgradation of more 31 railway stations had also been finalised.

He said that Okara railway station was now in the beautification phase after reconstruction and it would soon be inaugurated.

The minister said that besides upgradation of Golra Sharif Railway Museum, cultural aspect of the area was also kept in view in the reconstruction of the railway station buildings.

PR Chairperson Parveen Agha, advisor to minister Anjum Pervaiz, Acting CEO Hammaiyun Rashid and heads of different departments attended the meeting.