The much awaited Business Express Train between Lahore and Karachi in the public private partnership will also fail to take off on the due date of 25th December, 2011, sources told Business Recorder here on Monday.
They said that inauguration of the train service by the Lahore Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) in collaboration with the Pakistan Railways has been postponed for indefinite period since coaches of the modernised train have not been properly renovated to run the train between Lahore and Karachi.
They said that under agreement with Pakistan Railways, the private group of investors "Four Brothers Private Ltd" was to supply LCD TVs, Water dispensers and other modern accessories to be fitted in the couches at the Mogulpura Railway workshop, which they had failed to do so causing inordinate delay in the operation of the service.
An official of Mogulpura Workshop told this scribe, "we intended to complete the renovation of the Business Express Train coaches on time and deliver them to the private partners but they failed to supply the requisite material and accessories.
Chaudhry Zafar Iqbal, former president of LCCI and an active member of Business Express Train administration confirmed that train was not starting from December 25 as scheduled. He said the new date of inauguration of train services would be decided next week and Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani would be requested to be the chief guest at the inaugural ceremony.
It may be mentioned here that under a five-year agreement signed recently in Lahore, a private firm is to invest Rs 225.8 million and pay 88 percent of the revenue generated from the venture to Pakistan Railways. Thus the cash starved Railway is to earn an estimated amount of Rs 3 million daily from the 13 coaches Business Express trains running between Lahore and Karachi. PR will provide technical and manpower support to the new administration.
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