The cash-starved Pakistan Railways is restoring its freight train service up and down country from Monday (Today), while the Container Services will also be restored soon, General Manager Operation, Saeed Akthar told Business Recorder here on Sunday. He said the daily goods train service would be used to clear stocks of coal, phosphate and railways material lying at the Karachi port, while container service would start within next 10 days.
It is pertinent to mention here that out of 98 locomotives in running condition, 15 locomotives had been operating freight trains last year but due to several reasons, the profitable goods train service up and down the country was completely suspended in July 2011. It may be added that more than 100 freight and passengers trains were halted at Karachi Port due to acute shortage of locomotives last year. However, PR authorities hope to restore the suspended passenger and freight trains soon after repairs of the stationed locomotives.
GM Operations said that owing to acute shortage of locomotive railways authorities had to stop the lucrative and income generating freight service and the daily revenues from this service fell from Rs12 million to Rs1 million. With the start of freight services, PR's income will rise to Rs7 million and later on Rs12 million per day which will help decrease the deficit.
He said during next 15 days railways would also start another daily freight train from Karachi Port to Prem Nagar Dry Port near Lahore. "Presently we are loading one train daily from Karachi Port and during coming days we will extend four to five freight trains daily. PR will resume Afghan Transit, oil, containers and other services soon," he added. He said Finance Ministry had arranged an amount of Rs6.1 billion for rehabilitation/ repairs for locomotives which was under process and as soon as this grant made available to PR the freight as well as passenger trains service would improve.
Before collapse of Railway operations across the country due to non-availability of running locomotives, freight service was contributing more than 30 percent revenues to the railways. Presently out of 400 locomotives' fleet, the Railways have 98 locomotives running on the track carrying the entire passenger traffic.
Saeed Akhtar said that owing to the deteriorating performance over the past few years, the public confidence in Railways had been shattered. With the restoration of this train service, Pakistan Railways would regain its lost freight business and its image, he added.
He said with the availability of funds, more locomotives would be repaired. The Pakistan Railways has a stock of 16499 freight wagons with a carrying capacity of 47, 1376 tons. There are 46 locomotives which require minimum repairs and would be the first batch to be rolled out of loco-diesel workshops, he maintained. Process in this regard has been initiated and spare parts would be bought from the manufacturers to ensure quality standards, the general manager said.
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