ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways had suffered over Rs410 million in terms of losses in various train accidents between August 2018 and December 2019.
About the casualties and injured persons, a spokesperson said that five major train accidents of passenger and good trains occurred from August 2018 to December 2019 in which 110 persons died while 123 received injuries.
Pakistan Railways was going to revamp and upgrade the existing railway infrastructure through the Main Line-I project of China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC) which would transform the overall organization and ensure the safety of the travelling public, he said.
Besides, he added, the department was taking several measures to prevent accidents in the future including up-gradation of 550 vulnerable unmanned level crossings throughout Pakistan Railways network in collaboration with the respective provincial governments.
He said the Directorate of Public Relations has circulated different video messages over social media for the awareness and information of the general public regarding crossing the railway crossings in a safe way.
The official said the conversion of old age kerosene oil-based signals with LED’s on mainline, which have better visibility. Training and refresher courses were being conducted regularly at the Pakistan Railway Academy Lahore.
He said that regular inspections in accordance with prescribed standards and quota were conducted by the officers and officials of Pakistan Railways to maintain safety standards. This process was being constantly monitored at appropriate levels.
Special bulletins and instructions were issued regularly for the guidance of staff. Cameras were being installed inside locomotives for inspections of officers and staff, he said.
The official said that around 2,000 fire extinguishers were under process of procurements and they would be installed in trains by the end of March, this year to ensure the safety of passengers.
