Awam Express gets 4 overhauled rakes

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar Railway Station on Wednesday got overhauled passenger carriages for the Awam Express service which would provide improved travel and other related facilities to passengers.

The four rakes were overhauled at the Railway Carriage Factory in Islamabad.

Chief Controller, Peshawar Railway Station, Sarhad Bacha, told The News that the carriages had been put into service and left from the station for Rawalpindi. He added that the upgraded rakes would leave for Karachi from Rawalpindi Railway Station in the noon.

The official said the passenger coaches of Awam Express were in a dilapidated condition and needed immediate overhauling.

The railway authorities ordered the overhauling of the rakes of Awam Express to breathe new life to the service. He said the upgraded carriages had been made more comfortable, equipped with better cooling system and new toilets.

The official added that the upgraded carriages had the capacity of accommodating 400 passengers, adding more carriages of other trains would be upgraded gradually. He said proper public address system was also installed in the upgraded rakes, which was a new addition to the service. He said that there was no such system in the old rakes. “Necessary announcements would be made to passengers through this service,” he added.

The official said that power plants of Awam Express had been upgraded to ensure full power voltage in all the carriages and curtains, furnishing and new window units were also installed in the train.

The upgraded carriages would facilitate the passengers travelling between Peshawar and Karachi, he added. “The overhauled rakes would provide better travelling facilities to the passengers,” he added

Telecommunication Officer Engineer Hassan Waheed said the carriages had been upgraded with Rs25 million each. He said that the total cost of the upgradation of the four rakes stood at Rs100 million. He said the railway had so far upgraded a total of 18 railcars at its carriages factory in Islamabad.

The official said safety system was upgraded as well for passengers care and the carriages were made more comfortable by equipping it with the latest cooling systems and other facilities.