24 new trains earn additional revenue of Rs 4.938 bln

ISLAMABAD, Jan 21 (APP):Pakistan Railways has earned an additional revenue of Rs. 4.938 billion by starting 24 new trains across the country on different routes as compared to the financial year, 2017-2018.

The department had started these trains with the same rolling stock and human resources and Rs 54.514 as compared to Rs 49.576 to the last financial year, an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.

He said that Pakistan Railways has also introduced Electronic Fuel Injection (EFI) locomotives and trains tracking system which reducing the fuel consumption by 2.000 million liters. To a question, the official said that no service was currently operative on the Pakistan Railways route between Peshawar and Landi Kotal which was a length of about 52 kilometer.

He said there was no regular train service since 1985 on the route. The official said a Safari train service for tourists was introduced in 2001, 2007 which was suspended due to flash flood triggered by heavy rains caused in large scale breaches on the railway track.

He said that feasibility study for connecting Peshawar to Jalalabad via Loi Shalman valley had already been conducted at estimate of Rs. 759.082 million approved for rehabilitation of this section but due to shortage of funds the feasibility study has been held up since July 2016.

He said that a plan to reconstruct this track was in the vision of present government. To another question, he said that advertisement for the posts of Balochistan quota was published in newspapers, besides uploading the same on Railways website.

The recruitment was under process against the vacant posts of Balochistan quota, however, the process has been stopped, owing to stay granted by the Balochistan High Court, he said. He said around 588 posts were lying vacant in Pakistan Railways on the said quota, however, the process has been stopped, owing to stay granted by the court on.

The official said the vacant posts were being filled as per recruitment policy of  6 percent reserved quota for Balochistan and the the process would be initiated again as soon as the stay order was vacated.