Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has announced that Karachi’s modern railway station will be inaugurated on September 10 as part of Pakistan Railways’ nationwide modernization drive.
Speaking to the media during his visit to Faisalabad railway station, Abbasi said the initiative aligns with the Prime Minister’s vision to improve both short- and long-term operations.
He highlighted several recent upgrades, including full digitization of ticketing, the launch of a train tracking system, installation of ATMs at major stations, and the rollout of Wi-Fi at 40 Punjab stations in collaboration with the provincial government.
Outsourcing of various services, such as passenger and freight trains, guest houses, saloons, hospitals, and schools, is expected to be completed by September 30 to enhance service quality and increase revenue. Special saloons once reserved for officials are now open to the public at affordable rates.
Abbasi added that cleanliness at key stations is now managed by solid waste companies, while food quality will be monitored by provincial food authorities.
The Punjab government is investing Rs. 50 billion in upgrades across eight routes, while Rs. 250 billion is allocated for a double track and modern signaling between Lahore and Rawalpindi, cutting travel time to just over two hours.