Special train chugs out: ‘We are going on summer holidays’

Train goes from Rawalpindi to Karachi with extra contingent of armed police for security

RAWALPINDI: The first special summer vacation train of the season chugged out of Rawalpindi Railway Station as the conductor guard waved the green flag at 2:30 pm on Monday carrying mostly families and lots of children to Karachi.

Rawalpindi Divisional Commercial Officer (DCO) Raza Ali Habib said that Pakistan Railways will operate seven summer special trains on June 18, 22, 26 and 30 from Rawalpindi to Karachi at 2:30pm to haul from people from north to beaches in south. These trains will be bringing people from south to the hills in north when they return from Karachi to Rawalpindi on June 20, 24 and 28 at 8:00pm.

Meanwhile, the return journey of Eid Special trains offering subsidised fares has started. Five special trains were announced for Eidul Fitr. Fifth special Eid train will depart from Multan Cantt on June 19 at 7 am via Kot Addu, Dao Khail and Attock city will reach its destination, Rawalpindi on the same night at 10:15 pm.

In order to ensure the safety of passengers and visitors, security arrangements had been enhanced at the Rawalpindi Railway Station ahead of Eidul Fitr, he added.



Raza Habib said, special summer vacation trains would stop at Hyderabad, Rohri, Khanpur, Bahawalpur, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Okara, Raiwind, Lahore, Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Lalamusa and Jhelum.

The Summer Vacation Trains will be consisted of A/C business, A/C Standard and Economy classes of coaches.

To a question he said, armed police personnel had been deployed at the railway station to keepsecurity situation in check. He said the security of the railway station had been tightened with police in plain clothes assignedthe task to check security and keep an eye on suspicious persons. The deployment of cops was ensured to frisk the passengers entering the station.

The entire parking area had been covered using 32 high-definition, closed circuit television cameras (CCTV) apart from installing floodlights. Moreover, three booths with imported computerized barriers had also been set up to ensure proper checking and to maintain records of all visitors including the driver, the number plate and the vehicle.

Ground surveillance cameras had also been installed to check vehicles, he added. A special control room had been set up where activities of the visitors are monitored round the clock, he said adding, fool proof security of the passengers at platforms is being ensured through 16 CCTV cameras while walk-through gates had also been installed at the entry points.

To another query, he said luggage, parcels and other items booked for transportation to other cities of the country are also being checked through scanners installed at the station.  

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2018.