President to inaugurate Khi-Dhabeji special workers train on Oct 31

KARACHI: President, Dr. Arif Alvi will inaugurate special train, to be run between Karachi and Dhabeji, on Wednesday to ensure very comfortable, fast, secured and less expensive movement of workers between Karachi and this border town of Thatta district located at the National Highway.

In Dhabeji, special economic zone was being developed under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor by Sindh Government.

This announcement was made by Federal Minister for Railway Sheikh Rashid Ahmed during his press conference on Tuesday at a local hotel.

He was flanked by Pakistan Railways General Manager Aftab Akbar and Divisional Superintendent Karachi, Arshad Salam Khattak.

This nine-bogies train would start at 6 :15 A.M from Dhabeji and at 7:00 A.M. from Karachi. The fare would be started from Rs 25.

However, Pakistan Railways would offer monthly traveling pass to the workers at subsidized fare. It would cost Rs 22 per day to a worker. On November 1, 2018 workers would be charged no fare, he said.

He said this was gift to working class from Prime Minister Imran Khan, which would make their life easy and along with positive financial impact.

The Ministry of Railways would provide full support to Karachi Circular Railways project for its timely execution and successful operation, he assured.

The Minister said a fast track train between Karachi and Hyderabad would also be started soon. Later on, this service would be expanded to Sukkur. Another train from Karachi to Sukkur would be run shortly.

The Government had also planned to run service and time efficient Rehman Baba train between Karachi and Peshawar, as the existing train service had lost its value. And, he added, the number of freight trains would be increased to 15 as Pakistan Railways could only be profitable when its freight service would be strengthened and upgraded.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said his Ministry had planned to run fast track train between Quetta and Taftan. A regional Headquarters of Pakistan Railways would be set up in Quetta. The WiFi service had also been provided at all seven divisional headquarters to facilitate the passengers.

He said the government would welcome private investment especially for freight trains service. Overseas Pakistanis and foreign investors were interested to invest in Pakistan Railways new projects-- running of trains and development or replacing the tracks. In phases, the entire railways tracks would be replaced with much better tracks meeting international standards.

"We are offering private parties to come up with freight trains. Pay only rent of tracks and signals to the government," he said.

In last 60 days, the Railways Ministry had come up with seven trains to facilitate the people as up to seventy percent of the population of the country was living at both sides of the railways tracks.

The better railways network was vital for the success of CPEC and the present government was giving due importance to its upgradation and development. The target was to run the trains at 160 Kms speed, he said.

When his attention was drawn to unmanned railways crossings leading to accidents, he said there were over 1000 unmanned crossings. For safety of the people and to save Pakistan Railways land from encroachment, fencing would be done on permanent basis throughout across the country.

He also vowed to get all railways land clear from encroachers to what extent they might be influential.

The Minister said he was going to China with the Prime Minister on November 1, where detailed discussions would be made with Chinese authorities on railways matters including procurement of new engines through open bidding.

The Federal Minister for Railways resolved that he would increase the earning of Pakistan Railways by Rupees ten billion in one year and it would brought out of the loss in this period.