ISLAMABAD:  Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday announced to introduce a modern tracking system in his department that will help reduce journey between Lahore and Rawalpindi.

Speaking to media persons after inaugurating a plant nursery at Margalla Railway Station Islamabad, the minister claimed to bring a definite change in the Railways department until December.

Railways will soon be developed as a modern technical organisation offering facilities to everyone, he added.

The Minister asserted that passenger trains will be plied on branch lines of Railways as well.

Sheikh Rashid Ahmed maintained that Railways will have a key role in success of CPEC and full cooperation will be sought from China to improve condition of the department.

He said Chinese authorities would be proposed to plant trees across the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) route in collaboration with the indigenous authorities to make it eco-friendly.

In Margalla nursery, initially 25000 seeds have been sowed, which will grow into healthy plants till next monsoon season. Later on these floras will be planted at various stations.

Apart from it 3000 saplings were already present at Margalla while this nursery would generate one lac plants annually. These would later be planted at various stations and installations.

Pakistan Railways (PR) is having the vision of “Green Pakistan –Green Railway” whereas it will be self-sufficient by next year in generating its own saplings and trees.

The minister claimed that at present 25 nurseries have been developed besides four each that would be set up at PR’s divisional headquarters. INP