ISLAMABAD – Pakistan Railways has started as many as 11 passengers and fourfreight trains during the last nine months to facilitate the passengers andearn more revenue for the department.
The previous government had only initiated seven trains during the lastfive years from 2013-18, an official in the Ministry of Railways told APPon Tuesday.
He said there were number of proposals, under consideration by thegovernment to introduce new trains during the next five years subject toavailability of resources, especially coaches, goods wagons and locomotives.To a question, the official said at present Pakistan Railways had 460diesel electric locomotives, out of which, 325 were functional while 135were non-functional.
Out of 135 non-functional locomotives, he said 69 Chinese locomotives werein need of repair due to various design defects and the department hadplanned to undertake rehabilitation/modernization of these locomotiveswhich was under process with Chinese and Turkish Railways.
He said four locomotives were under condemnation process in light ofcondemnation plan and these engines were over aged and rendered theirservice more than 32 to 50 years against the economical life of 20 years.The official said seven locomotives met with accidents on various dates,fabrication work and procurement of spares was under process and theseengines would be in operation after the completion of work.
He said 55 engines were under normal maintenance, periodical maintenanceschedules which was regular feature and the diesel electric locomotiveswould be rolled out after repair turn by turn.
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To another question, Pakistan Railways had generated Rs39.010 billion up toMarch 2019 which was Rs3.706 billion more than the previous financial yearduring the same period by winning the confidence of the passengers.He said Pakistan Railways had suffered no losses during the currentfinancial year due to dedicated efforts of the present government andemployees of the organization.
During the last financial year (2018), the official said Pakistan Railwayshad earned Rs35.304 billion.
He said Pakistan Railways had taken several steps to improve financialposition of the department and started 24 new trains with the same rollingstock and human resource.Introduction of trains tracking system had contributed in reducing the fuelconsumption by 1.5 million litres, he added.
