SIALKOT, March 4: Passengers of Allama Iqbal Express have urged Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed to provide some comfort to them as the train does not offer even the basic facilities of journey.

Passengers, including Amjad Qureshi, Malik Ilyas, Arif Mehmood Sheikh, Abdul Majeed (Sialkot), Maqsood Butt (Chawinda), Kishwar Bibi (Pasrur), Rukhsana Bibi (Lahore) and Muhammad Zafar (Karachi), told journalists that the inordinate delay in the arrival and departure of the train irked passengers the most. They said unnecessary stoppages also made the journey a painful experience.

As far as the concept of cleanliness was concerned, they said bogies of both economy and sleeper classes presented a picture of sheer neglect. The PR sanitary staff never bothered to keep the toilets clean and useable. Unavailability of water in toilets also added to the miseries of passengers. Complaints were lodged in bulk in this regard, but to the utter disappointment of the commuters.

They said most of bogies remained without power supply which contributed to immense problems for passengers, particularly in the summer season. Glass windows were also found shut permanently that made the long journey horrible.

They also complained about the unabated sale of spurious brands of juices, cold drinks and stale food by approved and non-approved vendors at exorbitant prices.

Despite repeated complaints, they said railway authorities in Sialkot, Narowal, Lahore, Khanewal and Karachi had made no measures for the redressal of passengers’ grievances.