Islamabad (Agencies): Pakistan Railways is offering a 50 percent concession in rail fares to facilitate disabled persons traveling in all express and passenger trains, except the Green Line. The concession is granted upon the presentation of the Computerized National Identity Card (CNIC) bearing the disability logo, according to an official from the Ministry of Railways.
The official also mentioned that a 50 percent discount is offered to the attendant accompanying visually impaired persons. To assist disabled passengers, wheelchairs are available at all major stations. Additionally, exclusive reservation and booking counters have been designated for disabled persons at reservation offices. Free-of-cost access to executive washrooms and restrooms has been provided at a few major stations, with plans to extend this facility to 12 major stations.
Regarding train operations, the official stated that the Khushal Khan Khattak Express was discontinued in March 2020 due to COVID-19. Currently, Pakistan Railways is operating 98 trains daily with 1,180 serviceable coaches. Out of the 1,680 passenger coaches owned by the department, 72 percent have surpassed their useful life and require extra resources and maintenance costs to keep them operational.
At present, 2 Up and 2 Down trains are running between Peshawar and Karachi. Additionally, two passenger trains, Bolan Mail and Monjodaro Express, are operating on the Larkana section to cater to the transportation needs of the area. The restoration of Khushal Khan Khattak Express will be examined once the availability of coaches is improved, along with considerations of operating costs and commercial viability.