ISLAMABAD, Jan 3 (APP): The National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways emphasized the need for the Ministry of Railways to prioritize punctuality in train operations and take stern action against individuals encroaching on commercial land.                                                                                                                                                                

The committee meeting, chaired by Rai Hassan Nawaz Khan, MNA, in Lahore highlighted train punctuality as a major issue, to which the Chief Executive Officer responded that Pakistan Railways was working to improve it.

The committee was briefed by the Divisional Superintendent of Pakistan Railways, Lahore, on various aspects, including the organizational

structure, human resources, jurisdiction, total track length, number of stations, closed sections, punctuality, commercial earnings, land

lease revenues, removed encroachments, encroached lands, infrastructure improvements, public facilities, measures to enhance

land revenue, and the work plan for the Financial Year 2024-25 of the Lahore Division.

A committee member later inquired about the ministry’s policy on encroached land. The committee advised the Secretary of the Ministry

of Railways to provide a detailed briefing on the matter in the next meeting.

A committee member raised concerns about the security and cleanliness of the dry port, to which the Divisional Superintendent responded that

the issue was being addressed. Another member inquired about improvements in Pakistan Railways’ public service.

The committee had directed the Chief Executive Officer of Pakistan Railways to provide a detailed briefing on the matter in the next

meeting. Following this, the committee visited the Lahore Railway Station and the Old Diesel Locomotive Shed of Pakistan Railways.

Later, the committee proceeded to the office of the Divisional Superintendent of the Workshops Division, Pakistan Railways, in

Mughalpura, where the concerned Divisional Superintendent briefed them on the overall workshops under his jurisdiction.

The Secretary of the Ministry of Railways briefed the committee on the history of the Workshops Division and informed them that the ministry

had halted the import of freight wagons, which were now being manufactured in Mughalpura to Chinese standards. The chairman

suggested increasing the capacity of freight trains to meet high demand, a suggestion acknowledged by the secretary. The committee

recommended that the ministry prioritize freight trains to boost revenue.

The meeting was attended by MNAs Ramesh Lal, Waseem Qadir, Ibrar Ahmad, Zulfiqar Bachani, Syed Shah Ahad Ali Shah, Shafqat Abbas, and

Muhammad Jamal Ahsan Khan, along with senior officers from the Ministry of Railways and Pakistan Railways.