LAHORE: Railway passengers have complained that emergency chain-pull levers are not installed at prominent spots in new coaches purchased by the Pakistan Railways.
Old trains have at least four red coloured chain-pull levers used to be installed at prominent spots in a passenger coach; however, the new bogies have a single steel-coloured lever fixed their end-walls which would not be easily visible or accessible in case of emergency.
Daily Passengers Association (DPA) Chairman Hafiz Abdul Qayyum while speaking APP on Sunday demanded that levers be installed in the same manner as before so that passengers have a chance to save themselves in case another accident happens. “An emergency exit door should also be fixed in the middle of every passenger coach like that of the Indian railway,” he added.
Hafiz Qayyum also said that a printed warning about smoking and carrying any inflammable material and devices like stoves and gas cylinders was displayed in the coaches in the past until the funds for such things started getting embezzled due to corruption and laziness.
“These warnings should not only be displayed in the coaches but also at railway stations,” he added.
A passenger Nasir Bhatti said that travellers, who may encounter an emergency situation, would already be short on time and locating the new levers would add to the task.
Railway maintenance staff on being contacted confirmed changes had been made in the new passenger coaches.