LAHORE: The National Assembly Standing Committee for Railways has expressed concern over delay in launch of mega Main Line-1 (ML-1) project under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and directed the railway administration to quickly resolve all issues beside speeding up preparatory jobs leading to initiation of civil works. The committee also showed concern over security-related arrangements at the railway stations and accepted all proposals given by the railway police inspector general (IG) in a bid to improve security situation keeping in view a blast at the Quetta Railway Station last month. “In a meeting held here at the Pakistan Railways (PR) headquarters on Friday, we questioned the PR authorities over delay in ML-1 project launching. They (the authorities) while clarifying the situation explained that the objections raised by the Chinese authorities have been removed. Moreover, according to them, a Chinese team was to visit Pakistan in December, but it didn’t come. Hopefully, it will reach this month,” the standing committee chairman Rai Hasan Nawaz told Dawn while sharing discussion among the committee members and the railway authorities during the meeting. The chairman said the committee, during discussion, was of the view that the PR board is not working properly and therefore, it must be reconstituted. Finally the committee decided to recommend the government reconstitute the board to regulate the affairs of the department in a professional manner. On inquiring, the PR authorities, according to Mr Nawaz, the delay in timely departure of the trains from Lahore is due to late arrival from Karachi and other stations due to track condition, weather and other issues. The committee, however, directed the authorities to take measures to ensure punctuality. He said the committee also accepted a proposal seeking appointment of magistrates in all seven division of the department across the country and decided to write to provincial governments to help railways in this regard. Regarding security issues, especially in the wake of suicide attack at Quetta Railway station, last month, the chairman expressed concern over the out-of-order metal detectors, walk-through gates and other devices required for checking passengers at the entry/exit gates of railway station. “The railway police IG told us that none of the railway stations is walled, thus allowing entry of anyone possible,” he quoted the IG as having said during the meeting. He said the IG also submitted various suggestions to improve security. “The committee accepted all these proposals, including recruitment of more police constables other than the 250 being recruited,” he added. According to a press release issued by the PR, the department’s CEO Amir Ali Baloch gave a detailed briefing to the committee members stating that the passengers are enjoying modern services, including internet in various trains including Green Line, Shalimar and Karakoram express trains. He also told the members about increase in the railway revenue and other improvements.