Sorry state: Railway coaches need massive overhaul (Lahore city)

Officials say faulty wiring has caused several fires in coaches

MULTAN: The coaches of railway trains are in poor condition due to a lack of maintenance putting the
lives of passengers at risk, Express News reported.

A survey conducted by Express News revealed that several economy class coaches belonging to  Zakariya Express, Mehar Express, Sandal Express, Pakistan Express, Awam Express, Hazara Express and Shalimar Express have developed electrical and mechanical faults. Some coaches are unable to function at night due to faulty wiring. Many of the fans inside the coaches do not function, while bulbs keep flickering on and off. Similarly, there are many coaches where the seats, windows and even the doors need to be replaced.

Officials said that there have been several incidents in the past where fires have erupted due to a short-circuit, a result of the faulty wiring. Such fires have resulted in the loss of precious luggage and cargo while also causing damage worth million to coaches. In some cases, lives were also lost.

More recently, passengers of Jaffar Express highlighted the state of the business class coach on social media which showed the damaged doors, locks and poor hygiene of the washroom. This in turn demonstrates the pitiful performance of the railways.

Sources told Express News that at least 50% of coaches in Pakistan Railways are not functional. However, the railways are striving hard to make such coaches useful, they said.

Meanwhile, Pakistan Railways management dismissed a signal inspector for irregularities in the installation of modern signals at 27 railway crossings at Khanewal-Khanpur railway track.

Sources said that the former divisional signal engineer gave the Rs80 million contract for the installation of a modern signal system on the Khanewal-Khanpur route through Lodhran. However, when Deputy Chief Signal Engineer Muhammad Saleem inspected the work, it was revealed that low quality materials were used on the project and millions of rupees were embezzled.

While taking action on the matter, railways management dismissed signal inspector Muhammad Ramzan from service after conducting an inquiry.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 25^th, 2018.