By Zainab Shafiq 
The railway authority of Pakistan has launched two special trains to help Sikhs for their annual pilgrimage. These trains would now provide some specific services towards pilgrims going to Nankana Sahib, which is an important religious site for the Sikh community.
The first train will depart from Karachi on November 12 at 10:30 PM. Shuttle from Larkana will connect at midnight which will join the main train at Rohri station. The second train for Sikhs will depart Nankana Sahib on November 16 at 4 PM. A return shuttle from Rohri to Larkana will also be available for the convenience of the pilgrims.
These services would help the Sikh pilgrims visiting religious congregations. Pakistan Railways recently operated a special train service on Nov 6 between Karachi and Raiwind. With 14 coaches, operating on the economy class, the train is said to have earned approximately Rs. 8.5 million to the railway’s kitty in terms of revenue generation.
Special trains for Sikhs to generate revenue for Pakistan Railway
The department has already set ambitious expectations to earn above the threshold of Rs. 100 billion for the fiscal year 2024-25. It made a historic income of Rs 88 billion in the last year, which translates into an increase of as much as 40% over the previous year. Of it, Rs 47 billion came from passenger ticket sales, Rs 28 billion from freight operations, and Rs 13 billion from leasing railway assets.
These achievements, according to Pakistan Railways CEO Amir Ali Baloch, are the result of service improvements. Special trains during Eid received bookings that were overwhelming and further boosted public confidence in the railway system. While these special trains were also implemented for Sikhs, hopefully now the department is going to be more enhanced while catering to religious communities.
Also, see:
Pakistan Railways Launches Special Trains for Seasonal Travel Demand