Old rail tracks main reason for train accidents: Sheikh Rasheed

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed on Friday said that old tacks and signals were among the main causes of the train accidents, ARY News reported.

Addressing a press conference at his camp office in Karachi, the Railway Minister said that ML-1 project was the only solution of all Railway issues.

“Under ML-1 project new signals and new tracks would be constructed soon,” he said, adding that new washing-lines in Karachi and Lahore would be constructed within next 90 days.

He said that as compared to the past record lesser train accidents occurred during the period of the incumbent government. Sheikh Rasheed added that currently, 138 trains were running on the track on a daily basis.

He said that he had witnessed a large number of people sitting on the railway tracks having chitchats, playing cards and not afraid of death at Drigh Road.

Talking about the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project, the minister informed that 38km of the track was vacated. He appealed to the Sindh Government to ensure the vacation of remaining 5km.

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The minister on the occasion announced 20 per cent hike in rates of freight services from August 10, however, there would be no increase in fares of passenger trains.

“Railways earned 10 billion more as compared to the previous year. The deficit was reduced to around 5 billion,” he concluded.