Passenger train service may resume on 10th.

Byline: Khalid Hasnain

LAHORE -- Keeping in view the government's strategy to ease lockdown restrictions, address growing public transport issues and provide an affordable travel facility to the people desiring to celebrate Eid with their families in various parts of the country, the Pakistan Railways (PR) is considering resuming its passenger train service partially from May 10.

The move, however, has attracted serious opposition from the PPP-led Sindh government which warned the Centre against taking any such decision that it feared could cause further spread of the novel coronavirus.

In a statement, Sindh Transport Minister Awais Shah said the proposed move by the federal government to resume the train service could become another disaster amid serious advice by health experts for social distancing. 'The resumption of train service would invite crowd at stations which may become hotspots of the coronavirus transmission,' he added.

'The federal government should be more worried about people's health and lives instead of earning money and generating businesses. The federal government has already failed in effective enforcement of lockdown which led to a rise in the number of Covid-19 cases. Now the move to resume train service would further complicate the situation,' the minister warned.

Sindh warns move can cause further spread of novel coronavirus

The PR top authorities dealing with such affairs have started preparation to resume the passenger train service by following standard operating procedures (SOPs) and health precautionary measures related to Covid-19, Dawn has learnt.

'The passenger train operation is likely to revive very soon [tentatively May 10]. In this regard, the secretary/chairman railways has directed that in order to ensure a safe and Covid-19-free operation, a full dress rehearsal according to SOPs may be carried out at the earliest. This rehearsal will ensure the operational readiness without compromising the safety criteria for the passengers in the wake of Covid-19,' reads a letter issued on Tuesday by the Ministry of Railways to the PR Lahore headquarters-based authorities.

Following the letter, PR chief executive officer Dost Ali Leghari issued directives to all divisional superintendents (DSs) in this regard. 'The PR is considering the restoration of passenger traffic operations tentatively from May 10 subject to approval of the competent authority. To ensure the...