PR takes steps to cut Rs41b losses

The Pakistan Railways (PR) has taken major steps to cut its losses, including recruitment of technical staff only for the train operations, repatriation of officers working on deputation, and an end to the practice of using diesel purchased for engines for government vehicles.

According to Nisar Ahmed Memon, the chief executive officer of the PR, practical steps were being taken for the betterment of the department and reduction in its financial deficit with a view that no harm was caused to the employees.

In the first phase, according to sources, only limited recruitment of technically-specialised staff will be made in all eight divisions – Lahore, Multan, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Sukkur, Mughalpura and Quetta – on the vacant posts.

Currently, several posts, including gatemen, signalsmen, weighbridge operators, junior clerks, AC attender are lying vacant, the sources said. They added that some divisional superintendents were facing difficulties in office matters as well as train operations after the retirement of a large number of employees in the last few years.

According to the sources, all the divisional railway offices across the country had sent lists of the vacant posts to the railway authorities concerned, but they had been told to reduce the number of the recruitment.

To cut the its deficit of over Rs41 billion, the railways ministry has decided to restrict the fresh recruitment to the technical staff only and sending the officers working in the accounts department on deputation basis, back to their departments, a sources said.

Similarly, the source added that the railways ministry had also banned the use of diesel for the operations of the locomotive for government vehicles, while the department would not continue the projects, which had already been completed.

The sources added that sending the deputation staff back to their original departments, using the diesel for engines only will significantly improve the financial condition of the department.