ISLAMABAD: (APP) Pakistan Railways (PR) is planning to upgrade German coaches that have near to complete their life-limit and stationed at various railway stations.
In this regard, the state-owned entity has planned to upgrade 300 economy-class coaches to AC-standard coaches of obsolete German stock, official sources told APP.
Apart from these 300 coaches, he said that another 120 economy class coaches will be upgraded in the next four months and another 39 AC-sleeper coaches will be upgraded locally, they added.
They said the upgradition of a single coach will cost Pakistan Railways around Rs 5-6 million, however, if the management decides to replace the spare parts of these coaches then the cost of a single coach could go up to Rs 12.5 mln.
The sources said that PR has as many as 1,459 passenger coaches in its fleet. Some 420 coaches of German origin had been stationed at various railway yards for periodic overhaul.
They said that PR Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has directed the concerned authorities that no compromise will be made on repair quality of new passenger coaches to facilitate commuters.