Daily Times

Karachi: Railway stations in Karachi city, as well as, Pakistan Railways Karachi Division, await modernization, and Pakistan Railways Lahore headquarters has yet to take steps to upgrade these railway stations which provide the lion’s share of the railways revenue

Karachi Division of Pakistan Railways that earns more revenue than all other railway divisions lack proper infrastructure and facilities, demanding the attention of the authorities to focus on this neglected division which is the revenue engine of the Pakistan Railway.

As per a report of Pakistan Railways, for the financial year 2016-17, Railway Multan Division was given a target of Rs 2.843 billion and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs 2.719 billion.

Railway Peshawar Division was given a target of Rs1.125 billion and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs1.055billion. Railway Rawalpindi Division was given a target of Rs 2.666 billion and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs 2.457 billion.

Railway Lahore Division was given a target of Rs 5.751 billion and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs 5.403 billion. Railway Sukkur Division was given a target of Rs 2.228 billion and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs 2.148 billion. Railway Quetta Division was given a target of Rs 846 million and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs 683 million.

However, the golden egg laying hen of Pakistan Railways, Karachi Division, was given a target of Rs 14.374 billion and by May 31, 2017 this division collected revenue of Rs 15.592 billion, already surpassing its target.

Citizens of Karachi when compare the facilities of main railway stations of the Karachi Division to the facilities of Lahore or Rawalpindi Divisions, they seen a shocking difference. In Karachi, platforms of main railway stations are littered with garbage, their toilets are unclean and sometimes even deprived of water. Passengers complain that they are deprived of the facilities of clean and cool drinking water at the main stations of Karachi to force them to buy costly bottled water. Food and eatables being sold by platform vendors in Karachi division are of poor quality, mostly unhygienic, but sold of higher rates. These stations needs more comfortable benches and waiting areas for passengers, with improved facilities of drinking water, washrooms, and hygienic canteens.

The main railway line passing through the mid of densely populated city of Karachi is unfenced and almost on every day one reads about the death of people under the wheels of moving trains it their bid to cross these deadly tracks.

Federal Minister for Railways Khuwaja Saad Rafique, who is rightly considered, as the most efficient and result-giving minister of the PML-N government and who has made the Pakistan Railway revival a success story, administratively and financially, should personally pay a surprise visit to the City, Cantt, Drig Road and Landhi railway stations of Karachi and see their pathetic conditions. The main revenue generating railway stations of the Pakistan Railway, the City and Cantt stations of Karachi Division, deserve to be uplifted as per international standards and made as role model railway stations of not only Pakistan but also Asia.

Karachi still needs induction of at least one dozen new passenger trains to cater the growing needs of passengers of upcountry destinations like Hyderabad, Sukkur, Multan, Lahore, Faisalabad, Rawalpindi, Sarghoda, Queeta and Peshawar. These trains if introduced would surely run in profit because there is immense potential in passenger load on these destinations.

Karachi is the most modern city of Pakistan, but the railway stations of Karachi do not support this notion, as they are still ill-equipped, neglected, unkempt and dismally unclean.

Uplifting the Karachi Railway Division, would not only further built the positive image of the Pakistan Railways, and the PML-N government, but also restore confidence of travelers on the Pakistan Railways and help maximizing its revenue collection.