LAHORE, Feb 7: Speed limit for the Islamabad/Lahore non-stop train has been reduced from Tuesday, it is learnt. Now the 107-up/108-down non-stop would not be exceeding the speed limit of 70km per hour from Rawalpindi to Lalamusa and 95km per hour from Lalamusa to Lahore, sources said.

The previous speed allowed on the Lahore-Islamabad stretch was 105km per hour.

The non-stop would now be covering the distance between Lahore and Rawalpindi in three hours and 50 minutes instead of three-and-a-half hours.

All locomotive drivers have been directed that they must keep within the speed limit, especially the 65km per hour restriction between Bakrala and Domeli railway stations, they said.

The decision was taken nine days after the derailment of nine coaches of the Lahore-bound 108-up near the Domeli railway station, killing two passengers and injuring 31 others.

However, railway officials said the timings of Islamabad/Lahore non-stop had been ‘changed’ without giving any reason.

They said the 107-up Islamabad non-stop would now leave the Lahore railway station at 7am and reach Rawalpindi at 10:50am, while the 108-down Lahore non-stop would leave the Rawalpindi railway station at 6pm and reach Lahore at 9:50pm.

The 107-up Islamabad non-stop had been leaving the Lahore railway station at 7am and reaching Rawalpindi at 10:30am, while the 108-down Lahore non-stop had been leaving the Rawalpindi railway station at 6pm and reaching Lahore at 9:30pm since Oct 15 last when trains switched over to winter timings.