Railway hospital, carriage factory face water suspension

The factory owes Rs1.7m and the hospital over Rs300,000 to WASA.

RAWALPINDI:

Pakistan Railways’ crisis is deepening and the evidences are appearing abundantly. Its hospital and a carriage factory in Rawalpindi are now facing the threat of suspension of water supply due to non-payment of arrears.

The news comes amid nationwide protests by Railways staff against non-payment of salaries and the recent suspension of electric supply to its Peshawar Cantonment railway station and labour colony, also due to non-payment of arrears.

WASA officials informed The Express Tribune that the railway carriage factory owes Rs1.7 million and the hospital over Rs300,000 in water bills to the Water and Sanitation Agency (WASA) for the past nine months.

The officials said that notices have already been issued to the concerned departments for clearance of dues, which in case are not paid, the agency would be left with no option but to disconnect the water supply. “However, we are hopeful that the dues will be cleared,” said one official.

Meanwhile, an official of the Rawalpindi carriage factory claimed that the railway repair and manufacturing unit is out of order due to suspension of electric supply for the last many days. He claimed that the supply was cut by Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) due to pending dues.

The official added that the railway authorities have yet to pay the monthly salaries for the low-grade workers.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2011.