| LAHORE - Railways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Amir Ali Baloch has said that discounts on fares for special trains during Eidul-Fitr will be considered. Addressing public inquiries through the Facebook e-Kutchehri on Thursday, he mentioned that the issue of delay in salaries for PR employees had been resolved, and efforts to expedite gratuity and pension disbursements were underway. Baloch noted that introduction of premium lounge dining cars on the Zakariya Express had been well-received, and plans were in place to include these coaches on the Tezgam and Hazara Express trains soon. He also mentioned that gradual upgrades were being made to smaller platforms, and instructions had been given to assign sequential numbers to train compartments. Baloch emphasised that passengers on long-distance routes might be inconvenienced by an increase in Green Line stops and announced plans to increase the number of AC sleepers on certain trains during the summer months. Regarding the Karachi Circular Railway, he clarified that it falls under the jurisdiction of the Sindh government and decisions regarding it will be made by the provincial government. Baloch further stated that ongoing operations against encroachments were in progress and that inquiries were being conducted into reports of inappropriate behaviour by private staff on the Ghouri Express. Plans to install CCTV cameras in coaches were dependent on funds’ availability. He clarified that the revival of the Monabao-Thar Express was not within the mandate of the Railways but rather a decision of the federal government. Regarding the employment status of TLA employees, Baloch indicated that decisions will align with national policy. Improvements to the Railways ‘Rabita’ mobile application were also in the pipeline, and additional coaches would be added to certain trains to accommodate passenger rush, in addition to operation of the Eid special trains during the festive period. The e-Kutchehri received seven thousand comments, questions, complaints, and suggestions. |
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