LAHORE: With a certain improvement in the composition, the Pakistan Railways has decided to resume operations of the Green Line Express passenger train from Islamabad to Kar­achi via Lahore and vice versa from next month, most likely by Dec 20.

The Pakistan Railways has also sought proposals within the next couple of days about resumption of the operations of Fareed Express and Pakistan Express, which were previously running between Lahore and Karachi (via several branch line stations) and Rawalpindi-Karachi via Faisal­­abad and Khanewal, respectively.

Freight rates reduced

In a meeting presided over by Minister for Railways Khwaja Saad Rafique, the participants also accorded approval to reduce freight train charges in a bid to increase revenue.

Under the plan, the Green Line train will be run with superior services having two AC parlour, five AC business, six AC standard and around five economy class coaches. The travel duration from Lahore to Karachi would also be brought down from 20 hours. Each seat in AC parlour class would have an

LCD, a pair of headphones and music system for the passengers.

The minister directed the authorities concerned to ensure completion of various development works by Jan 31, 2023. He asked the officers concerned to also complete repair/maintenance works on ML-1.

At the meeting, Mr Rafique was also briefed about the anti-encroachment operations in the Peshawar division of Pakistan Railways.

Published in Dawn, November 27th, 2022