No reduction in fares as trains will run with 60pc occupancy: Rasheed

PESHAWAR: Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said that there will be no reduction in fares as trains will be run at 60 percent occupancy to maintain social distancing.

Addressing a press conference in Peshawar today, the Railways minister said that Pakistan Railways had reduced the train occupancy more than Britain and India. He added, “We are running trains at 70 percent occupancy.”

Rasheed maintained that he was grateful to PM Imran Khan for allowing train operations to resume from tomorrow “It was very difficult. The provinces were not agreeing but I am thankful to the pm Khan for allowing the transport of the poor to resume,” he said.

He said that the decision to resume train services had taken after a meeting with Prime Minister Imran Khan.  He said that hordes of people were waiting to visit their families on Eid, adding that trains will be overcrowded if they do not start functioning by this week.

On May 17, the railways’ minister announced that ticket prices will be reduced by 50 to 60 percent, even though the move will land the ministry in a loss. He stated that passengers will be facilitated on the occasion of Eidul Fitr.

Earlier, the Railway Minister had appealed to Prime Minister Imran Khan to allow the resumption of rail operations ahead of Eid.