LAHORE, Nov 11: Some 21 stoppages of 23 passenger trains will be eliminated, another 18 trains will have new nine stopovers while 14 stoppages of 21 trains will be regularised from Nov 15 when 54 express and mail trains will switch over to winter timings.

Specific time has been reserved for the operation of freight trains from the Karachi port to upcountry destinations in the winter timetable with the provision of 20 minutes reduction in down and five minutes in up trains operating between Karachi and Peshawar.

It has been the tradition that summer timings come into effect from April 15 and remain in force till Oct 14 and winter from Oct 15 till April 14 every year since the early quarter of the 20th century when the railway was constructed in this part of the subcontinent, which now comprises Pakistan.According to the new timetable, stoppage time of all up and down trains will be five minutes instead of previous 10 minutes at Hyderabad while all up and down trains will have 2-minute stopover at Kotri instead of previous 10 to 20 minutes. However, Hazara Express (11-Up/12-Down) will now be stopping for 10 minutes at Shorkot instead of previous 5 minutes.

The routes of four express trains will be curtailed. Tezgam (7-Up/8-Down) will now be running between Karachi Cantonment and Rawalpindi instead of Karachi Cantonment and Islamabad while Shah Shams Express (115-Up/116-Down) will be operating between Multan and Lahore instead of Samasatta and Lahore.

No passenger train will be stopping at Chak Kambo, Gulsher, Green Town (Halt) and Karyal stations because of closure of the same.

STOPPAGES ELIMINATED:Millat Express (17-Up/18-Down) will not be stopping at Nishtarabad, Chenab Nagar and Burj; Tezgam (7-Up/8-Down) at Kot Lallu; Sukkur Express (145-Up/146-Down) at Sarhan and Daur; Bahawalpur Express (143-Up/144-Down) at Tasirabad and Chutiana; Pakpattan Express (119-Up/120-Down) at Chak Kamboh; Chenab Express (136-Down) at Ala, Chak Saida, Ratto Kala and Qudratabad; Thal Express (129-Up/130-Down) and Kohat Mix (346-Down) at Nammal; Marala Passenger (227-Up/228-Down and Shah Sarwar Passenger (217-Up/218-Down) at Tasirabad; Shah Shams Express (117-Up/118-Down) at Khanewal, Pattoki and Kot Radha Kishan; Shah Shams Express (117-Up) at Chhanga Manga while Shah Rukne Aalam Express (29-Up/30-Down) at Kotri.

NEW STOPPAGES: Bolan Mail (3-Up/4-Down) will now be stopping at Jhimpir; Khushhal Khan Khattak Express (19-Up/20-Down) at Jhimpir and Bin Qasim; Malakwal Express (151-Up/152-Down) at Dingha; Qalandar Express (165-Up/166-Down) at Dhabheji; Dachi Express (133-Up/134-Down) and Noor Shah Mixed (325-Up/326-Down) at Badami Bagh; Babu Train (205-Up/206-Down) at Sodhra Kopra; Fast Passenger (235-Up/236-Down) at Ratian; Ravi Express (121-Up/122-Down) at Mahmuwali and Sarwar Shaheed.

REGULARISED: The stoppage allowed during last year for Allama Iqbal Express (9-Up/10-Down) at Tando Adam will be regularised in winter 2010 timetable besides that of Tezgam (7-Up/8-Down) at Gujrat and Tando Adam; Hazara Express (11-Up/12-Down) at Lakha Road; Pakistan Express (45-Up/46-Down) at Jhelum, Gojra and Gujrat; Awam Express (14-Down), Shah Rukne Alam Express (29-Up/30-Down) and Qalandar Express (165-Up/166-Down) at Jhimpir; Fareed Express (37-Up/38-Down) at Oderolal; Ravi Express (121-Up/122-Down) at Buchiana, Ruala Road and Tufail Shaheed; Babu Train (205-Up/ 206-Down) at Gujranwala City; Sultan Bahu Passenger (229-Up/230-Down) at Tufail Shaheed.