Six locomotives brought back to life
Pakistan Railways to add 30 more engines after repair work.
KARACHI:
Six locomotives of Pakistan Railways have been repaired and added to the fleet while maintenance work on many others is in process after the release of Rs6.1 billion for repair work.
Around 30 locomotives would be added to the system in a month or two which would smooth operations of the department, according to Pakistan Railways sources.
They said that the development would also ease the pressure on existing locomotives which would limit the delays and holdups which have become a norm for passengers.
There are only 156 working locomotives, far less than the minimal requirement, whereas in total there are 502 locomotives but most of them are out of order.
It further said that repair of around 102 locomotives is in the pipeline whereas complete restoration of highly profitable freight train service depends on pace of the process. However, sources said that priority of the department is passenger train service.
Railway Workers Union Chairman Manzoor Ahmed Razi welcomed the development but said that the pace of process should be expedited as passengers have been suffering as a result of lacklustre efforts of Pakistan Railways.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2011.
Six locomotives of Pakistan Railways have been repaired and added to the fleet while maintenance work on many others is in process after the release of Rs6.1 billion for repair work.
Around 30 locomotives would be added to the system in a month or two which would smooth operations of the department, according to Pakistan Railways sources.
They said that the development would also ease the pressure on existing locomotives which would limit the delays and holdups which have become a norm for passengers.
There are only 156 working locomotives, far less than the minimal requirement, whereas in total there are 502 locomotives but most of them are out of order.
It further said that repair of around 102 locomotives is in the pipeline whereas complete restoration of highly profitable freight train service depends on pace of the process. However, sources said that priority of the department is passenger train service.
Railway Workers Union Chairman Manzoor Ahmed Razi welcomed the development but said that the pace of process should be expedited as passengers have been suffering as a result of lacklustre efforts of Pakistan Railways.
Published in The Express Tribune, November 11th, 2011.