ISLAMABAD – The Pakistan Railways is making all-out efforts to reinforceits fleet of locomotives and ply both passenger and freight trains onmaximum routes to transform the organization into a vibrant andprofit-earning entity.Currently, the railways has a fleet of total 460 locomotives, out of which140 are non-functional due to their obsolete versions, an official in theMinistry of Railways told APP.He said the railways was pursing a prudent policy to attract morepassengers and get increased freight business by extending a number offacilities to the public.Answering a question, the official said the Railways had upgraded around 52kilometers (KMs) tracks during the last six months through indigenousresources to ensure safe and smooth journey to passengers.“No new railway tracks have been laid during the tenure of present PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government since August-2018 due to financialconstraints,” he added.He said the Railways was planning to upgrade and replace Main Line (ML-1)from Karachi – Peshawar double track of 1681 KMs under China-PakistanEconomic Corridor (CPEC).The official said that Pakistan Railways increased fares in order to reducebudget deficit which is growing day by day due to increase in salaries andpensions of employees.Moreover, the import bill of Railway had also increased due to valuedepreciation of rupee viz-a-viz dollar and the locomotive maintenancecontract charges have also increased due to the same reason, he said.“The department has introduced twenty new trains in first 100 days of thegovernment and all the trains are operating with above 70 percent capacitywhich increases up to 100 percent on weekends,” he said.He said that only one train Mianwali Express is operating on less than 70percent of its capacity. The railway administration keeps an eye on all newtrains and expects to reach a final decision on the viability of new trainsin 90 days.To another question, the official said the first aid boxes and emergencymedical facilities are available in passenger trains as well as at RailwayStations across the country.In this regard, he said that operational staff like Station Master,Assistant Station Master and Guard etc. have been trained about use ofmedicines available in first aid box and emergency kit for providingemergency medical services to the sick and injured passengers during thejourney.He said that railway doctor is called from nearest next railway hospital toattend and examine the passenger in case of sudden sickness or emergencysituation during the journey.The patient is admitted in the nearby hospital or allowed to continuejourney after giving necessary medication, depending on the severity ofillness, he added.