Pakistan Railways (PR) intends to operate the Green Line Train in December to improve passenger service and generate revenue. The train comprises two AC Parlor, five AC Business, six AC Standards, and four to five economy class coaches, a Ministry of Railways official told the media.
According to the official, the Minister of Railways, Khawaja Saad Rafique, ordered the best Green Line Train arrangements for passengers. Rafique also directed officials to reduce the Green Line’s journey time from Lahore to Karachi to less than 20 hours to pique the interest of passengers. The official continued:
It is also decided to provide the best travel facilities in the Green Line train, including providing high-quality food and keeping the ticket price affordable. Besides, a separate LCD will be installed on each seat of the AC Parlor to let passengers enjoy favourite videos through headphones.
In addition, the minister stated that PR would accelerate operations to improve passenger train and main railway station services. The division will work with the private sector to address mounting challenges related to cleanliness.
Regarding station services, the official stated:
The department believed 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 speeding up hiring in the private sector would improve station and train hygiene and restore passenger trust in the department.
According to the official, the PR minister also urged officials to speed up efforts to standardize stall designs and signboards. He also stated that the government is undertaking numerous initiatives to strengthen public relations and provide the best possible services to citizens.
In another meeting, Khawaja Saad Rafique directed that the damaged track on ML2 be repaired as soon as possible. He directed that proposals for the restoration of the Farid Express and Pakistan Express be submitted within two days and that trains in underserved areas be prioritised based on revenue. The minister has scheduled a meeting for next week to go over the revenue and composition of each train in detail.