By Muhammad Luqman
The Pakistan Railways has restored a train between eastern city of Lahore and the Wagha town located on the border with India after 22 years.
The shuttle train that used to run on 23 kilometres long route till 1997, was suspended due to financial constraints and security reasons.
“People will now be able to travel to Jallo Park and Wagha by paying just a fare of Rs 30 (20 cents),” Pakistan’s Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said while inaugurating the train.
The shuttle train will provide commute for the passengers desiring to witness the flag ceremony at India-Pakistan border in the evening.
Two passenger coaches and the engine of the train have been overhauled and renovated using resources of the railways department, according to officials.
The train will start from Lahore railway station and will take two up-down rounds each in the morning and the evening.
“ Railways will also introduce a new shuttle train between Lahore and Gujranwala next month,” Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad told newsmen.
He also announced a new shuttle train between Lahore and Raiwind which would be introduced soon, adding that train culture would be restored which was beauty of the city.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmad said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate rehabilitation of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) soon. “The PC-1 of the ML-1 is under progress which will be finalized in February and March 2020,” he said.
The minister said that after the completion of ML-1, the entire 1,875-kilometres track from Peshawar to Karachi would be fenced and entry would not be possible on tracks, adding that speed of the train would be 160km/hour which would cover the distance from Lahore to Karachi in just seven hours.
