60pc PR booking done in 2019 through e-ticketing

LAHORE: Pakistan Railways Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Ijaz Ahmed Abro has said 2019 was the year of e-ticketing in the history of Pakistan Railways. According to him, 60 per cent booking was done through e-ticketing while 100 per cent e-ticketing would be ensured in 2020.

After Pakistan Army, Pakistan Railways is the second largest intuition of the government, he said while speaking at Pakistan Railways Headquarters here. Pakistan Railways repaired 275 coaches and 24 new trains were run from August18, 2019 to December 14, 2019, he said and added that 75 Chinese coaches were there in Pakistan Railways and one or two trains would be made functional till May 2020.

Without the cooperation of Divisional Workshops and Carriage factories, new trains could not be made operational. Surplus could be observed as no seat had gone vacant during last year, the CEO said and acknowledged that three incidents occurred in Pakistan Railways because of human error.

He said an online private rent a car company will be given space at the Railways Station under the instruction of Sheikh Rasheed, Minister of Pakistan Railways. Pakistan Railways will sign a contract with the company soon. The passengers using the service of this private company will be given 20 per cent concession in fares. Automatic Teller Machines (ATMs) were being installed to facilitate passengers.

Pakistan Railways had Rs 52 billion freights in 2018, now the target is Rs 58 billion freights. Pakistan Railways earned/generated more Rs 1.5 billion from September to December 31 2019. Around 157-km railways track was restored renewed in different divisions, 31 bridges were repaired. ML-1 will be inaugurated in 2020, he said.