Railways minister promises railcar service between Hyderabad-Karachi

Sheikh Rasheed says tenders have been floated; service will start when coaches are available

Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that unavailability of coaches has restricted the railway management from launching up and down railcar service between Hyderabad and Karachi.

Speaking to representatives of the Hyderabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (HCCI) on Saturday, the minister said tenders had already been floated and when sufficient coaches were available, a railcar service would be launched between the two cities. Keeping in view the heavy traffic of passengers, he reiterated that the government had planned to bring 20 more passenger trains on different routes across the country.

Regarding the HCCI’s demand for separate containers in freight trains for cargo services from Hyderabad, the minister announced the launch of a separate freight wagon from the Hyderabad Railway Station under the HCCI management.



It would be made available after 10-day advance payment by the HCCI, he said, adding that he awarded two freight wagons with 30 containers each to Karachi on Friday.

He assured businessmen that efforts would be made for constructing a standard platform with wheelchair facility for disabled passengers at the Hyderabad station. Besides, the railway ministry is looking for qualified companies to establish restaurants for quality meals at railway stations instead of the substandard food currently available.

He added that he had directed the Karachi Railway divisional superintendent for the allocation of stalls selling traditional Sindhi items at the railway platform.



Earlier, HCCI’s Ziauddin Qureshi briefed the minister about difficulties being faced by the citizens of Hyderabad in the reservation of tickets and the inconvenience caused to industrialists and traders due to the absence of seat quota for Hyderabad.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 17^th, 2019.

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