Pakistan: Railway workers complain of residential quarters' terrible conditions

Islamabad [Pakistan], August 10 : Due to years of neglect, several colonies and settlements of lower-tier workers of the Pakistan Railways (PR) remain in a crumbling state, reported The Express Tribune. 
According to the residents, the recent rains and flooding have worsened the situation. 
The leader of the Union of Railway Workers, Mubarak Hussain, said that the problems of the railway quarters were increasing daily. The ceilings and walls of the damaged houses are caving in and are posing a huge threat to the residents. 
According to The Express Tribune, two roofs have collapsed so far in the governmental quarters. However, no fatalities have been reported. 
Chaudhry Aamir, another office holder of an employees’ union, said that the roof of a house at the Railway Bakery Chowk had collapsed.
“This is the second incident of the collapse of the roof of the railway quarters in Bakery Chowk. But the railway administration has failed to survey the old houses and or conduct repair work," he said. 
He further warned that these quarters are dangerous with the people living in them at risk. 
Railway quarters which date back to 1912 have the most problems. These stables are 12 feet in length and width with a 10-foot yard in front, a small kitchen and a washroom. Back in the day, it would house a horse and its groom. These stables exceeded one thousand, reported The Express Tribune. 
These stables were built along the railway tracks and were handed over to the railways which then converted these stables into residential quarters for employees of the Basic Pay Scale (BPS) four. 
Following the establishment of Pakistan, there were other 335 houses allocated to employees and officers. 
These quarters currently include 11 residential colonies of Rawalpindi Railway. They include CDL Workshop Colony, Traffic Colony, Commercial Colony, Locomotive Shed Colony, Construction Colony, Talab Colony and Carriage Colony, The Express Tribune reported. 
These quarters remain in a dilapidated state with leaking roofs common. The walls are in different stages of wear and tear. The sewage and sanitation system do not function anymore.
According to The Express Tribune, there was wild foliage with the area presenting an unkempt look. Residents also said they did not have water, electricity or gas.
Residents said that the quarters have not been repaired for the last 20 years. The minor repairs that were done were washed away in the rain after two to three months.
Meanwhile, sources in the Divisional Superintendent's Office of Railway Rawalpindi Division said that the divisional superintendent has ordered the survey of these railway quarters, reported The Express Tribune. Following this, funds would be released and repair and paint jobs would start, they said.