Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani will inaugurate the much awaited Business Express Train between Lahore and Karachi on Friday (tomorrow) at Lahore Railway Station. This was the first luxury train, which will run under public private partnership in Pakistan Railways network, the sources told Business Recorder on Wednesday.
Reservation for Business Express train was opened on November, 05, 2011 while the train operation is scheduled to start from February 3 at 3.30 pm.
Ejaz Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer said that passengers reserved their seats at Business Lounge situated at Lahore Railways Station, Lahore Cantt station and reservation center at Railways Headquarters. The seat reservation facility was also available through website:www.pakbusinessexpress.com and through telephone.
The private operators had also offered home delivery for tickets against Rs 100 courier fee. Similarly reservation facility in Karachi is available at Karachi Cantt Station.
Pakistan Railways (PR) administration had handed over coaches and locomotive to the private operators after completion of renovation of the coaches.
It may be mentioned here that Business Express Train would be consisted of 9 coaches having capacity of 486 passengers and each side fare would be charged at Rs 4,500 between Lahore and Karachi.
The private operators would also provide snacks, breakfast, dinner, tea, soft drink, bottle water, blanket and pillow free of cost to the passengers. This train would run between Lahore and Karachi via Khanewal and Rohri and complete its destination within 18 hours.
Ejaz Ahmad, Chief Operating Officer also told that train would be operated by Four Brothers International Private Ltd.
It may be mentioned here that the much-awaited Business Express Train was scheduled to take off on 25th December 2011 but failed to take off on the announced date.
They said that inauguration of the train service by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in collaboration with the Pakistan Railways has been postponed for indefinite period since coaches of the modernised train have not been properly renovated to run the train between Lahore and Karachi.
Saeed Akthar, General Manager Operation Pakistan Railway told Business Recorder under a five-year agreement signed recently in Lahore, a private firm is to invest Rs 225.8 million and pay 88 percent of the revenue generated from the venture to Pakistan Railways.
Thus the cash starved Railway is to earn an estimated amount of Rs 3 million daily from the 09 coaches Business Express trains running between Lahore and Karachi. PR will provide technical and manpower support to the new administration he maintained.
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