Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad on Saturday said they were ready to launch train operations on 24-hour notice as all the SOPs were ready and 15 each trains would be running on up and down the track during Eid days.
He said railways had not made any increase in the fare despite the fact that trains would be running on 60 percent occupancy while the neighbouring country India was receiving double fare on 50-60 percent bookings.
Addressing a press conference at the Railways Headquarters, he said railways was a federal department and it was not subordinate to any province. "We will follow the directions from Prime Minister Imran Khan." He said he had talked to the PM and Asad Umer that trains should also be operational besides buses and aircraft as it is used by the poor segment of society.
He said the SOPs prepared by the Railways had been passed by the NDMA. He said the railways had received Rs 240 million as online booking before the lockdown and if train operation was not restored till Tuesday, that amount would be reimbursed after 15 days of Eid without any deduction.
He said Jaffer Express would run with new Chinese coaches which was good news for people from Balochistan. He said trains would stop only on big railway stations. Police will be present on each stop for security and railway officers will also be deputed besides 7,000 railway police officials. He said nobody except the ticket holder will be allowed to enter the stations.
Sheikh Rasheed said he was unable to understand that provinces were allowing planes and buses to work but rail was being denied operations, which was even working throughout the world in the corona crisis. He admitted that hardships would multiply if the train operation was not restored till Tuesday as rush of public would multiply which would become difficult to handle.
"We are ready to restore train operations on 24-hour notice. We salute doctors and paramedics and those railway workers who restored 10,054 railway coaches in two months' time during lockdown without any holiday," he concluded.
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