ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has told the National Assembly that there are a total of 521 railway stations across the Country where water filtration plants haven’t yet been installed.
However, he told that electric water coolers are provided at all major stations.
Sheikh Rasheed said that huge expenditure is involved for the provision of water filtration plants at all railway stations. However, all out efforts are being made to provide water filtration plants on important stations in phases keeping in view the availability of funds.
The minister told that water filtration plants at six others stations (Lahore, Gujranwala, Raiwind. Nankana Sahib, Hassan Abdal & Bahawalpur) will be provided shortly.
The railway minister also told that at present 472 Coaches are out of service/un-functional.
Sheikh Rasheed told that since August 2018 to June 2019, a total of 74 notable accidents occurred in the system of Pakistan Railways. He said that out of these 74 accidents, 44 accident inquiries have been finalized while 22 accidents relating to goods trains are being dealt by respective divisions in accordance with rule SR. 162/72 of the General & Subsidiary Rule Book of Pakistan Railways. He said that the remaining eight inquiry reports are under process and will be finalized in due course of time.
Furthermore, he told that no compensation was paid to the victims of Railway accident occurred on May 15, 2019 at Arifwala as there is no provision of compensation to a tress passer under section 82-A of Railways Act, 1890.