Around Twelve Major Train Accidents Occurred In Last Two Years

ISLAMABAD, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 17th Jan, 2021 ) :As many as twelve major accidents of passenger and goods trains have occurred on Pakistan's Railways entire network across the country during the last two years.

In these accidents, around 139 persons died, 189 sustained injuries while the financial damage faced by the Pakistan Railways was around Rs437 million, an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.

He said Pakistan Railways was in process of revamping and upgrading the existing railway infrastructure through installation of Main Line-I project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The ML-1 would help transform the overall organization, besides ensuring safety of the passengers, he added. The official said that the department was taking several steps to prevent the accidents in future to save the lives of the public.

He said up-gradation of 550 vulnerable unmanned level crossings was also being carried out throughout Pakistan Railways network in collaboration with the respective provincial governments.

"The Directorate of Public Relations has circulated different video messages over social media for the awareness and information of general public regarding crossing the railway crossings in a safe way," he said.

The official said there will be conversion of old age kerosene oil based signals with light emitting diode on main line as it had better visibility.

He said the training and refresher courses were being conducted regularly at the Pakistan Railway academy Lahore and regular inspections in accordance with prescribed standards and quota.

This process was being constantly monitored at appropriate levels and special bulletins and instructions were issued regularly for guidance of staff, he added.

The official said cameras were being installed inside locomotives on line inspections of officers and staff. As many as 2000 fire extinguishers were under process of procurements and they would be installed in trains, he said.

To a question, he said Pakistan Railways has completed as many as ten rehabilitation and development projects worth Rs 27,435.6 million during the last two years.

He said the project including doubling of track from Khanewal to Raiwind-246 kilometers with a cost of Rs 14,261 million.

The other projects included mechanization of track maintenance (pilot project), rehabilitation of rolling stock and track, reopening of rail car from Kohat-Rawalpindi-Kohat section, up gradation of VHF communication system for operational staff, rehabilitation/procurement of re-manufactured 300 traction motors and others, he added.

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