Rains inflict Rs110m loss on Railways

Trains plying on main, branch lines in Karachi, Sukkur divisions most effected

LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways has suffered a loss of more than Rs110 million during the last one month as 121 trains plying on main and branch lines faced delays due to the rains resulting in additional expenses.

The expenses included additional fuel and staff allowance. More than 199 hours were wasted because of failure of the locomotive engines.
The rate of up and down journeys remained between 45-51 per cent.

The maintenance of tracks and signals also contributed to the delays.
The trains in Karachi and Sukkur divisions were delayed because of the severe rains and the trains operations suffered additional expenses as well as longer travel durations.

Rashid for taking railways to next level

The trains reached their destinations in 69,000 hours instead of 60,000 hours. There was 4,909 hours of delay in total.
Sources said 549 hours were wasted due to the rains and 1300 hours owing to maintenance of trains and railway tracks in Karachi and Sukkur divisions.

The faults in carriages and other issues caused a delay of 183 hours.

The rate at which trains came and left remained at 11 per cent, which caused difficulties for the passengers.

Pakistan Railways Additional General Manager Zubair Shafi Ghouri said, “Heavy rains in Karachi and Sukkur divisions caused difficulties for the passengers as well as losses for the railways.”
He said the train operations had returned to normal and increase in revenue was expected.