ISLAMABAD, Aug 7 (APP): Pakistan Railways will
procure 55 locomotives from the United States on
finalization of a competitive bidding process.
"An agreement worth US$ 213.689 million has been
signed with a US company to procure these locomotives,
which will be delivered by next year," a senior official
of the Ministry of Railways told APP.
Besides, he said a project for rehabilitation of
27 locomotives was under execution at Risalpur factory,
adding 15 locomotives had been turned out for train
operation while another 12 were under rehabilitation.
He said 60 Chinese locomotives supplied by Dongfang
Electric Corperation against the contract agreement were
held up for want of spare parts, therefore Pakistan Railways
had initiated a feasibility study for restoration of
these Chinese locomotives which was under process.
He said Pakistan Railways had initiated special
repair of 100 locomotives to cater for repair and
maintenance of held-up locomotives, adding these this
project was currently in procurement phase.
Replying to a question, he said Pakistan
Railways purchased 63 locomotives from the foreign
countries since 2008 and at present, 172 of locomotives
are un-serviceable and defective out of 440 with
Pakistan Railways department.
To another question he said no bridges were
declared dangerous for Railway Operation in the country
during last ten years.
He said the design-life of the bridges over
Pakistan Railways system varies for different years.
He said though 86 percent of Railways Bridges were
more than 100 years old, but regular process of
rehabilitation and strengthening of these bridges
continues according to prescribed scheduled and at
present all Pakistan Railways bridges were according to
safety parametres.