FAISALABAD, Aug 11: Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has said that a modernized railway station will be inaugurated in Karachi on September 10.
Speaking to the media during a visit to Faisalabad railway station, the minister said the project is part of the Prime Minister’s vision to upgrade Pakistan Railways through nationwide short- and long-term development plans.
He said ticketing has been fully digitized and a train tracking system is operational. ATMs have been installed at major stations, while Wi-Fi is being introduced at 40 stations in Punjab with the support of the provincial government.
According to Abbasi, outsourcing of several services will be completed by September 30. These include nine to eleven passenger and freight trains, guest houses, special saloons, hospitals, schools, and other facilities. He said the move aims to improve service quality and generate more revenue. Special saloons previously reserved for officials are now available for the public at reasonable rates.
The minister said cleanliness at key stations has been handed over to solid waste management companies, and food quality at stations will be monitored by provincial food authorities.
He said the Punjab government is investing Rs 50 billion in railway projects, including upgrades on eight routes. A further Rs 250 billion has been allocated for a new double track and a modern signal system between Lahore and Rawalpindi, which will cut travel time to between two and two-and-a-half hours.
Other works include the Shahdara–Raiwind linear park, upgrades of stations in Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Taxila, and track improvements from Sheikh Zaid to Kuchlak in Balochistan.
Abbasi said Rohri station will be upgraded under an agreement with the Sindh government. He confirmed that the modern Karachi station will open to the public on September 10.
Strengthening ties, both nations signed an MoU for a ferry link connecting Gwadar with Iraq’s Umm Qasr Port.
