With ‘five-star’ facilities, 20 new trains to be launched this year

Railways minister says two VVIP trains with food supplies from ‘five-star hotel’ will be launched within six...

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad Saturday said that 20 new trains will be launched during the current year including two VVIP trains with food supplies from any ‘five-star hotel’.

These VVIP trains will be launched within next six months, said Sheikh Rashid at a press conference, held at the PR headquarters here. He said that the Railways would also try to operate 20 freight trains during 2019, five more than the target of 15.



The minister said that Pakistan Railways was launching its own FM radio service (Radio Pakistan Railways) on Public-Private Partnership (PPP) basis to share Railways news with travellers and to entertain them.

He disclosed that the Railways was going to enhance salaries of Pakistan Railways police to bring them at par with the salaries of the Punjab Police. "I have verbally got approval of the increase in the salaries from the cabinet," he added. He hoped that after the increase in salaries, the performance of Railways police would improve.



Rashid said the Railways had taken over the charge of Royal Palm Club after the Supreme Court verdict. "The Supreme Court has allowed Railways to lease out its property for five years," he added.    The minister said that the work of installation of trackers in locomotives will be completed by the end of this month.

The minister thanked Chief Justice Mian Saqib Nisar for giving a deadline of sixty days to all courts for deciding 2,800 cases pertaining to Railways.