Pakistan Railways (PR) plans to start operating the Green Line Train in December to improve passenger service and earn income. “The train is comprised of two AC Parlor, five AC Business, six AC Standards, and four to five economy class coaches,” a Ministry of Railways official told APP.
The official told that the Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique ordered the finest Green Line Train arrangements for travelers. Rafique also instructed the officials to reduce the Green Line’s journey duration from Lahore to Karachi to less than 20 hours to restore passengers’ interest. The official added:
It is also decided to provide the best travel facilities in the Green Line train including the provision of high-quality food and keeping the ticket price at an affordable level. Besides, a separate LCD will be installed on each seat of the AC Parlor to let passengers enjoy favourite videos through headphones.
He also stated that PR will speed up operations to improve passenger train and main railway station services. The division will involve the private sector to solve mounting challenges, especially regarding cleanliness.
Regarding the services at stations, the official stated:
The department was of the view that the cleanliness-related services in trains and at major stations, including Lahore, Faisalabad, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Quetta, Peshawar, Khanewal, Sukkur, Sahiwal, Multan and Bahawalpur were not satisfactory.
He claimed that fast-track private sector hiring might improve station and train hygiene and restore passenger faith in the department.
According to the official, the PR minister also urged officials to hasten efforts to standardize stall designs and signboards. He added that the government is taking many initiatives to strengthen PR and provide optimum facilities to the citizens.
