Pakistan Railways is currently prioritizing the acceleration of its efforts to promptly complete the rehabilitation work of a 33.50-kilometer track, specifically focusing on the ‘through sleeper renewal’ between the Quetta-Bostan and Quetta-Chaman sections.
According to an official source from the Ministry of Railways, the construction of the track will not only provide convenience for passengers and small-scale entrepreneurs but also provide a connection between three significant cities within the province of Balochistan.
According to the individual, the railway infrastructure in the province of Balochistan primarily comprises the Quetta Division, encompassing the Dera Allah Yar Sibi-Quetta, Quetta-Chaman, Sibi-Khost, Spezend-Dalbandin-Taftan, and Bostan-Zhob lines. These railway lines have been non-operational for a period of 15 years.
According to the source, Balochistan is served by two passenger trains, specifically the Jaffer Express (40Up, 39 Down) and Chaman Passenger (349Up, 350 Down). It is worth noting that no stations within the Quetta division have been reported as closed over the past 15 years.
According to his statement, the whole length of the railway track in Balochistan, inclusive of the Bostan-Zhob segment that is no longer operational, amounts to 1470.36 kilometers.
According to the speaker, a significant portion of the track is over a century old, and certain sections have speed restrictions in place due to delayed maintenance and limited resources. The speaker also mentioned that regular track maintenance is being conducted with the resources now available.
In order to enhance the quality of railway services in Balochistan, the speaker mentioned that the department is implementing various measures. These include the approval of Project Concept-I (PC-I) for the rehabilitation of the existing track, as well as the rehabilitation of an additional 100-kilometer track connecting Ahmedwal Dalbadin on the Quetta-Taftan section.
According to his statement, there are plans to undertake a 100-kilometer rehabilitation of the track between Nokundi Kohi-Taftan on the Quetta-Taftan segment, as well as a 160.024-kilometer rehabilitation of the track between Bostan-Chaman on the Quetta-Chaman section.
According to the source, the commencement of two journeys of the tourist train between Quetta-Bostan has been announced. Additionally, it has been mentioned that the Bolan Mail passenger train would soon be made available to cater to the needs of passengers.
According to the speaker, the Chaman Terminal is being established in partnership with the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), and efforts are also underway to renew the Sibi-Khost stretch of the track.
In order to manage the deficit and generate more money, the individual stated that the department has implemented ‘RABTA’ – a platform aimed at enhancing its financial circumstances. Rabta can be seen as an endeavor to augment client facilitation through the use of artificial intelligence.
According to the statement, around 60 million passengers utilize Pakistan Railways on an annual basis. It is noted that 40 percent of the tickets are sold using an antiquated system lacking any form of audit.
In order to address this issue, Rabta provides clients with the opportunity to strategize their journeys by utilizing a variety of available alternatives. The single interface allows consumers to access several functionalities, including checking train statuses, selecting and purchasing seats, making hotel reservations, arranging car rentals, as well as ordering meals and refreshments.
According to the speaker, Rabta also provided travelers with the ability to provide updates or statuses while traveling. According to the speaker, individuals have the option to reserve tickets through various platforms such as mobile applications, websites, ticket agents, reservation officers, vending machines, and handheld devices.