LAHORE, March 16: For better security arrangements on trains, the railway authorities have decided to deploy more commandos. General Manager (Operations) Aurangzeb Khan said that 160 commandos who had completed training at the Walton academy and were waiting for a formal pass-out , would soon replace the ordinary police guards on trains. The first batch of 160 commandos, trained to foil any terrorist activity, had already taken charge.

Mr Khan said that priority would be given to trains running on long routes and on the main line, the likely target of saboteurs. Answering a question, he said the police party which had detected and gunned down the dacoits trying to loot a train in interior Sindh would be given a financial reward. A sum of Rs500,000 had been earmarked for the purpose.

About improvements in service, he said under the agreement signed with China for purchasing 60 locomotives, 15 had arrived while the rest would be assembled at the Risalpur factory over the next three years. The Islamabad carriage factory would build 145 passenger coaches of a total of 175.

Replying to a question about automation of service, he said only three stations were offering computerized ticketing last year while the figure would increase to 12 this year. "Work is also under way on providing tickets on the Internet and the service would soon be extended to the public."