LAHORE: Railways police have taken over commercial management and passenger facilitation of Samjhota Express that runs between Lahore-Wagah and Attari twice a week.

A visit to Lahore station revealed on Thursday that policemen were checking passports visas and tickets besides receipts of luggage and parcels while commercial staff was found missing.

The only commercial employee, the conductor guard, was seen boarding the train minutes before it departed platform No 1 for Wagah. The situation has also led to ‘cartelisation’ by coolies who charge at will from passengers. Of the 550 coolies the Lahore railway station has according to official record, some 40 have been deputed to carry luggage of Samjhota Express passengers under two jamadars (supervisors) Haji Bashir and Amir.

Each coolie is supposed to charge Rs30 per piece of luggage per turn according to rates fixed by railways authorities. However, coolies charge between Rs200 and Rs500 per piece of luggage per turn. A trolley would cost Rs4,000 to Rs5,000 per turn.

An officer of railways Lahore division said the police ‘highhandedness’ was due to their power to register cases against the commercial staff. “They have taken over everywhere.” said the officer while seeking anonymity.

Lahore Divisional Superintendent Waqar Shahid said the matter would soon be taken up with the high-ups. Both PR Chief Executive Officer Javed Anwar and IG Railway Police Masud Chisti were busy with Railways Minister Saad Rafique and they neither answered phone calls nor responded to SMS sent to them for comments.

fare cut: Passengers planning to travel by 12 trains will get 10pc concession in fares for a month from Nov 15, while the 25pc subsidy in the fares of rail car, running between Lahore and Rawalpindi, will be withdrawn during the period.

A 5pc surcharge would also be charged from Nov 15 to Dec 15 if a seat or berth is got reserved 48 hours before departure of a train, decided PR high-ups at a meeting on Saturday.

Presided over by Minister Saad Rafique, the meeting decided that 10pc less fare would be charged from commuters of five trains running between Lahore and Faisalabad -- Badar Express, Ghauri Express, Ravi Express, Sargodha Express and Lasani Express.

The fare cut would also be applicable on Mehar Express (Rawalpindi-Multan), Chenab Express (Sargodha-Lala Musa), Lala Musa Express (Sargodha-Lala Musa), Sandal Express (Multan-Sargodha), Sukkur Express (Karachi-Jacobabad), Saman Sarkar Express (Hyderabad-Mirpur Khas) and Badin Express (Hyderabad-Badin).

Published in Dawn, November 8th, 2015

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