LAHORE: Despite tall claims of improving railway operations and generating revenue, passengers continue facing great inconvenience due to frequent derailments and accidents.

In the last few days alone, Pakistan Railways faced seven incidents, including five derailments at main and branch lines, leaving a driver injured, many passengers stranded on the way and massive damage to locomotives, coaches and wagons.

On March 14, some wagons of a coal-laden train derailed near Chandrami railway station, Sadiqabad on the main line, disrupting downward rail traffic for several hours and leaving many passengers on various trains stranded. The same day, Multan-bound Musa Pak reached the Raiwind station with a missing coach, annoying several passengers who kept the train halted for a few hours.

Another bad day for the railways was March 16 when the Karachi-bound Sukkur Express collided into a stationary goods train from the rear side near Pali Jan station (Matiari, Hyderabad) at about 4:35am. This led to injuring the train’s driver, damaging the locomotive and derailing and damaging three wagons of the goods train. It also caused suspension of downward traffic on the track.

The same day, the Khushhal Khan Khattak Express collided with a chicken-laden truck at Kundian level crossing, damaging the locomotive and truck, killing several chickens and suspending rail traffic. Later in the day, few coaches of a goods train derailed near Sammasatta (Bahawalpur), disrupting the downward rail traffic for a long time.

On Wednesday, a coach of Karakoram Express derailed near Lahore railway station. The passengers faced great inconvenience. Later, a coach of Business Express also derailed near Kotri station, disrupting rail traffic for hours.

“Fatal and non-fatal accidents are now a routine matter for the PR. It seems the safety of passengers, staff and public and private property is not important for the railway authorities,” an official source in the department deplored while talking to Dawn. “But the PR authorities continue making claims of launching new trains and increasing revenue.”

The official, who requested anonymity, was of the view that launching new trains on the dilapidated track, compromising the safety of passengers and staff, is unjustifiable and must be stopped.

“I was surprised when I saw the minister, in a recent press conference, admitting the issue of decaying rail track that was laid in 1861 and calling it the main cause of increasing derailments and accidents. On the other hand, the PR continues to launch new trains on the same track,” he said, suggesting the authorities concerned allocate funds for the rehabilitation of the existing main and branch lines rather than launching new trains.

When contacted, Railways Secretary Dr Habibur Rehman Gilani, who also heads the PR board as chairman, admitted he was aware of the situation. “I know about the derailments and inconvenience caused to passengers. I have called a special meeting over this issue at the PR headquarters on Saturday,” he claimed. “Hopefully, we will resolve the passengers’ safety issues by taking effective steps.”

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2020