Railways completed ten development projects

ISLAMABAD, August 18 (APP): The Pakistan Railways has completed as many as ten rehabilitation and development projects worth Rs 27,435.6 million during the last two years from August 2018 to 2020.

The project including doubling of track from Khanewal to Raiwind-246 kilometers with a cost of Rs 14,261 million, said a document of two years performance of the present government.

The other projects included mechanization of track maintenance (pilot project), rehabilitation of rolling stock and track, reopening of rail car from Kohat-Rawalpindi-Kohat section, up gradation of VHF communication system for operational staff, rehabilitation/procurement of re-manufactured 300 traction motors and others, it added.

The Pakistan Railways, through special initiatives and projects, managed to generate an additional revenue of Rs 10 billion that helped in reducing its annual deficit by Rs 4 billion and an absorption of Rs 6 billion additional bill in respect of increasing cost of the fuel as well as of pay and pension bill.

The document said that during financial year 2018-2019, earning of the department stood at Rs 54.59 billion compared to Rs 49.50 billion for financial year 2017-18 which was the highest revenue ever achieved by the department. The Annual deficit lowered from Rs 36.00 billion to Rs 32 billion.

It said the revenue target has been increased from Rs 53 billions to Rs 58 billion for the current year. Up-till December 31, last year Rs 27,967.195 million has been earned against the budgetary target of Rs 27,499.967 million for the period.

Regarding the freight business, the earning was increased to Rs 10,285.466 million against target of Rs 10,039.970 million upto December-2019.

Pakistan Railways had added 24 new passenger trains in its train operations and all were refurbished locally at the department installations in Lahore and Islamabad. The new trains attracted around 08 million new passengers and grabbing additional revenue of Rs 5 billion.

The department had increased the number of rail passengers to 70 million, travelling in one year by trains. The Pakistan Railways have increased its freight volume form 4 percent to 7percent by introducing special container goods trains.

Under the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC), the Pakistan Railways on April, 2019 signed a Declaration with China for up-gradation of 1,872 Km long track on Karachi Peshawar main line (ML-1).

The project was aimed at increasing the train speed from existing 80-90 km/hour to 160 km/hour, thereby reducing the train journey between major cities like Karachi-Rawalpindi from 22hrs to 10 hrs and Rawalpindi – Lahore from 5 hrs to 3 hours only.

The document said, in addition to ML-1, tenders floated for up-gradation of ML-2 (Attock –Jacoabad-Kotri), ML3 (Rohri Jacoabad – Quetta – Taftan) ML-4 (Gwadar) as well.

The Pakistan Railways introduced live tracking system, provided free Wi-Fi facility at major stations as well as initiated establishment of state of the art command & control centre at Lahore headquarters to bring safety, efficiency and improvement in its network. Over one million customers are availing free live tracking through their smart phones.

It said the department had retrieved a precious 383 acres land worth Rs 30 billion. It have retrieved 38 km out of 43 km long Karachi Circular Railways land from the encroachers.

Royal Palm Golf and Country Club case decided in favour of Pakistan Railways by the Supreme Court – bids have been called for transparent outsourcing of the club management, it added.

The document said that under the clean and green Pakistan campaign Pakistan Railways have planted 500,000 saplings.

Electric power distribution of Railway colonies handed over to WAPDA – making the annual saving of Rs one billion, hospitals, schools and colleges of the department being offered to private sector on public private partnership or Joint Venture mode.

The Pakistan Railways had extended free ticket facility for four trips per year to passengers aged 75 years or more. Discount 50 percent in tickets for passengers aged 65 years.

The document said the E-ticketing was modernized by incorporating mobile phone apps and e-payments.

The Pakistan Railways had renovated and up-graded Lahore, Hasan Abdal and Nankana Sahib Railway Stations. 1,365 numbers High Capacity/ High Speed Hopper Wagons inducted to enhance earning as well as efficiency.

The department had finalized track access policy and was in implementation phase which would lead to the capacity utilization of the existing network for enhancing the earning of Pakistan Railways.

Recently, inaugurated Azakhel Dry Port to add further to the freight earnings of Pakistan Railways besides facilitating the traders community, it added.

The Property and Land Directorate of Pakistan Railways had earned Rs 2926 million through sundry earning during the last two years.

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