Railway is a sign of integration for any nation and especially for the countries like Pakistan where more than 50 million people used to prefer train as their provenience of reaching destination. Pakistan railway comprises of 1,67,690 acres area which includes 7,791 kilometers route track and 516 railway stations all over the country according to 2016-17 year book railway department. There are over 1,466 coaching vehicles and these are operational day and night on railway tracks from Torkhum to Karachi. This department is now working by leaps and bounds in technical development including SMS alert system, Wi-Fi running train, upgradation of payroll system E-ticketing and mobile application. Passengers used to complain about the timings and infrastructure of trains but this issue has been solved to much extent as policies implemented by previous and this current government has proven effective in uplifting the standard of system by providing more amenities and making journey more reliable and secure than past although revenue is not recovered yet. Now more incentives are provided to the people who are directly or indirectly linked with this pillar even the sector is struggling in economic issues.
There is a facet which is ignored by the officials and may be it is a minor mess for them but the facts are obverse and treacherous to a great extent and it is the provision of unhygienic edibles and environment for the passengers at railway stations. Government's plan to reconstruct railway station but this issue still needs attention of officials. There is no quality department or food evaluation team in railway department for hundreds of stations in Pakistan and thousands of people travel every day through trains. Before grasping their destination, trains stop at various stations and there are refreshment points at every station. People buy edibles but these are poisonous which they eat and there is no authority to inform that what are they eating and who is selling this poison which is the cause of many fatal diseases like cancer. “Pakora and Roti” is one of the common example we have found while travelling. No one knows what type of oil is used in frying and no one is there to ask those poison sellers about this crime. Mineral water bottles contain an ordinary or contaminated water in it and these are sold out at higher prices than usual. Other packed materials are mostly expired and prices are double than the original cost. Passengers are black mailed and forced to purchase as they have no other option because the situation is same at every station and they have to travel for many hours so these poison sellers take advantage of their helplessness having no other option. There are now some outclass trains which have facility to provide food to their passengers but they are not functional on small routes and also the fares are too high. Trains have low fare and they are suitable for people of country like Pakistan who are under the line of poverty. They cannot afford expanses for the better facilities so this should be priority of government to provide healthy and economical food to these passengers.
Pakistan Railways must improve or renovate basic facilities program for the passengers along with development in infrastructure. There should be establishment of quality control unit which should be organized separately with affiliation of food security councils to make passengers healthy. Railway is considered as lifeline to promote social, cultural and economic status of a country so the government must implement favorable policies for the passenger welfare. This is also a best source to increase revenue in this sector by making it attractive other people using private transport. The tenders should be given at minimum price to facilitate passengers for price controlling. Railway officials should ban illegal shops and must be allowed to be opened in specific stations only where passengers can buy edibles. All those contractors should be blacklisted and fined who ignore orders. The future plans related to renovation of railway stations must include this step. We must upgrade our values of health along with technology which are waiting for many years to be dressed up again. There should be establishment of first aid rooms in major stations where passengers are higher in number to cope any serious condition for patients. Trains should be washed on regular basis. Awareness signs should be displayed for the passengers to make the environment clean and do not throw thrash in train or on railway track. Pakistan Railway Advisory and Consultancy Services Limited (PRACS) should suggest and promote environment and health friendly ideas. Clean and Railway project is a great initiative but still reforms are needed for food assessment.