PR lacks an improvement plan

Pakistan Railway, Asif J. Khawaja, SMILE, smile school of training, PR lacks an improvement plan, train journey, train travel Karachi to Lahore

Pakistan Railways (PR) is the national, state-owned railway company of Pakistan. Founded in 1861 and headquartered in Lahore, it owns 4,800 miles (7,791 km) of track across Pakistan from Torkham to Karachi and operates freight and passenger train service. Pakistan Railways was also known as the Pakistan Western Railway from 1947 to 1974 and NWR in the pre partition era. Pakistan Railways is an active member of the International Union of Railways. The last long term improvement plan included new locomotives, development and improvement of current rail infrastructure, an increase in average train speed, improved on-time performance and expansion of passenger service. The first phase of this project was completed in 2017, and the second phase is scheduled for completion by 2021.

This article is based on my personal experiences and memories of last sixty years as a “Rail User”. What I remember to begin is in 1962-4 as a school boy daily commuting between Kasur & Lahore on rail car (one or two coach) and train perhaps depending on the timing and rush. There is no memory link for any of the service running late or having been cancelled. After matric shifted to Lahore for college and then joined a marine force at Karachi. During the next few years was again a train traveler with a frequency of twice a year between Karachi and Lahore, few times visiting Quetta too. During next decade or more the frequency was reduced but then number of passengers gradually increased. The travel always remained a fun due service, facilities and attitude of crew or staff.

My next serious attachment was in the second decade of this century with the new initiative of privately run “Business Express” which not only gave a new meaning to customer care but introduced accountability of crew against customer complaint. Many readers will surely be remembering the concept of safety, meals, beddings, cleanliness and care as long as that train operated. As trainer at times travelled more than twice a month on complete route to get feedback from passengers and monitored crew performance.

In subsequent years monitored (on my own) the adherence to timing, service standards, attitude of staff and then gradual decline of these and more factors. Attitude of railway employees being the biggest of all these service factors and not sharing of in time correct information of trains arrival & departure, availability of seats and which platform to use created lots of confusions amongst travelers. 

Without going into details of international examples or present status and restricting this write-up to only passenger trains would like to draw the attention of readers and authorities towards improvement. For example:

• Controlled entry and exit to platforms through operating gates/ barriers only with ticket or card (as of Metro) thus ensuring “One Ticket – One Seat” concept.
• Converting all passes and concessional tickets of employees to “One Time” plastic cards. Same procedure be used for monthly or seasonal tickets thus reducing or eliminating paper tickets.
• Using large stock of personal or special coaches of high ups to make good the shortage of coaches for paying passengers.
• Reviewing based on actual usage, the “Quotas” for various categories.
• If the trains are operating 24/7 – so should the reservation offices and outsourced agencies.
• In most cases, for breaking journey passengers, the confirmation of reservation for second portion is left to the discretion of that station or train staff.
• Controlled entry or exit (as for motorways) of the entire track and exploring possibilities of using these walls/ fences for publicity and illumination at the train movement times.
• Responsibility of station/ area in-charges towards food and tap water quality being provided in trains.
• Redesigning of WCs to disposal tank system, thus preventing inward flow of air from these pipes and cleaner tracks too.
• Finishing off with all types of level crossings by converting these to overhead or underpass from funds available to area or local chairman, MPA or MNAs. For sure it will be a step towards saving lives of their supporters and voters. 
• Review of personnel employed on duties involving dealing with passengers with reference to their financial output Vs pay & perks.
• Designating trains as countrywide or inter provincial or of branch routes for increasing passenger traffic through increase in number, reduction in travel time and appropriate facilities. Subsequently reducing the number of stops to gain time between start and final destination for each category.
• The inter province models being used by busses service providers for timing, services, comfort and facilities are available for adoption.
• The reservation website mostly shows all tickets, especially of upper classes as sold out but at departure time many seats and berths are available for last minute bargaining & sale through unauthorized staff .
• Some train timing need minor adjustment to facilitate passengers (for example Pindi-Lahore night coach leaving after midnight and too early arrival in winter days).
• Large number of electric engines was once in use, possibility or feasibility of using these with external power van.

Just to recollect that the “Business Train” model had One Train Manager with three staff members for each coach, staff included person of security, service and cleaning or up keep. They were employed for entire travel time with day on day off concept. Were properly trained on passenger care and helping each other for ensuring smooth services. Passengers movement between coaches was not allowed so no rush near gates or in verandahs or passages. Minimum stops facilitated reduction in travel time and increased cost effectiveness for the service provider.  

Using this as guidelines travel time of all countrywide trains (inter-province) could be reduced with a challenge of service improvement on different trains. Other intra province trains may then facilitate travelling of passengers to stoppage of these for “Train Change” style. What is needed is a will (or vision) and redesigning of the decades old time table, job descriptions, duty hour’s model and improvement in service standards. Remembering to use branch lines passengers as potential travelers of these main line faster trains.

The recent good works of traffic signaling, improvement of track and conducted speed trials be kept in mind for undertaking this task. The recent change in working concept of road contractors to 24-7 from eight hour a day Multan-Sukker Motorway has been completed months before schedule. 

Many of the above works can start simultaneously and should be achievable in pre-planned and agreed time frame. Few target dates will have to be agreed by all stakeholders followed by team-building efforts of railway to adopt a vision, mission and way forward. Just listing a few of these as:

1. Completion date of double track, fencing of rail track, taking control of RoW and ensuring new entry exit system for all stations (may be separate for platforms for bigger stations). 
2. Redesigning of job designation and duty hours.
3. Renaming of trains as country wide or inter-province with better travel time, reduced stoppages and improved facilities. (All facilities to be included in cost). 
4. Publishing the new timetable of passenger trains with their stoppages and timings.
5. Redesigning of bathrooms to prevent inward flow of air.
6. Redesigning existing bulk of personal coaches for passenger traffic. 
7. Defining water and food quality standards and officials responsible for ensuring the same.
8. Creating customer care facilitation through 24–7 reservation offices and agencies.
9. Redesigning or allowing usage (as it is) of personal coaches for groups, tourists, families or general travelers with their sale through normal reservation or ticket sale process.
10. Ensuring NO inter-coach travelers movement for safety and allied reasons.

With adoption of an agreed vision to improve, setting of time plan for above or more such targets should be possible and achievable. This will be the first series of steps for management to increase traffic & cash flow and setting standards for tomorrow’s Pakistan Railway. 

-Published on page#30 in the February 2020 edition of MOBILE WORLD Magazine