Railway tracks have become death traps: SC

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Thursday noted that the overall railways in Pakistan is not being operated in a way it should be operated and the railway tracks have become death traps.

A two-member bench of the apex court comprising Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed and Justice Ijazul Ahsen heard a suo motu case regarding colossal losses incurred by the Pakistan Railways. The court observed that there seems to be nothing in sight by which the operation of the Railways in Pakistan could be improved, as not only is the infrastructure of the Railways altogether bad and non-workable, but also its employees are apparently not fit to operate the Railways.

“There needs to be serious thinking on the part of the Government of Pakistan regarding the operation of the Pakistan Railways and overhauling the Secretariat from top to bottom to ensure that the Railways operate in Pakistan safely,” the court noted down in its order.

The court expected that such measures will be taken by the Government of Pakistan immediately to ensure that the Railways do not play with the lives of the people and its properties are not lost.

The court sought a report in this regard from Government of Pakistan through the Planning Commission within one month. Earlier, a report was submitted by the secretary/chairman, Ministry of Railways, Islamabad, wherein reference has been made to the upgradation of Railways trough ML-I, under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and also to the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

As regards ML-I, it was informed that PC-I is now pending with ECNEC for approval and as soon as the said approval is received, work will be started. The court expected that ECNEC will consider and have PC-I approved, as per rules within a period of one month.

Referring to KCR, the court was informed that considerable work on the ground has been done and that there are bottlenecks because of a nullah near Urdu University and Green Line near Nazimabad.

The Railways secretary stated that if the Government of Sindh takes immediate action and makes way for the Railways at these two bottlenecks, the remaining work of KCR will be completed and it will be made operational.

The secretary also stated that there are railway crossings at which the Government of Sindh has undertaken to provide for construction of either overhead or underground roads/paths, so that there is no eventuality of any one crossing the railway line.

“We direct the chief secretary, Government of Sindh, to ensure that the above three items of work are expeditiously completed to enable KCR to run in Karachi,” says the order of the court.

The court directed the chief secretary to submit a report in this regard within a period of two weeks besides directing that the chief secretary and the commissioner be present on the next date of hearing.

Earlier, during the course of hearing, the chief justice expressed astonishment over the statement of Shaikh Rashid Ahmed, Railways Minister, about recruitment of one lakh people in the organisation.

The chief justice observed that the Railways has already 77,000 employees then how the minister will adjust more one lakh employees in the department.

Additional Attorney General Aamir Rehman said that perhaps Shaikh Rashid made a mistake in choice of words. The law officer submitted that the government is trying to decrease the workforce from 77,000 to 56,000.

The chief justice observed that the Railways tracks have become death traps for public. Secretary Railways Habibur Rehman Gillani submitted that there will be no crossing on ML-1, adding that for safety measures, underpasses and overhead bridges will be constructed under the railway tracks. The court adjourned the hearing for a month.