Pakistan railways: Public-private services to commence soon
Not a single locomotive had been added to the national carrier’s fleet since 2008, says official.
The company was ready to provide track facility to the private sector if it wants to run its own locomotives, says official.
ISLAMABAD:
Two more trains under public-private partnership will commence soon and the double track connecting Karachi and Lahore will be completed by March 2013, said an official of the Pakistan Railways.
The official said that not a single locomotive had been added to the national carrier’s fleet since 2008. He said that the company was ready to provide track facility to the private sector if it wants to run its own locomotives.
He said that the railways was heading towards revival swiftly as number of steps were taken to steer it into profitability. Fuel and utility bills were eating up a bigger portion of the government’s funding to railways. Since 1995 the fuel prices had registered 800% increase, while the national carrier increased fares for freight trains and passenger services by 105% and 70% respectively. The Railways presently has 100 locomotives to run its entire operation, including 200 passenger and freight coaches.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2013.
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Two more trains under public-private partnership will commence soon and the double track connecting Karachi and Lahore will be completed by March 2013, said an official of the Pakistan Railways.
The official said that not a single locomotive had been added to the national carrier’s fleet since 2008. He said that the company was ready to provide track facility to the private sector if it wants to run its own locomotives.
He said that the railways was heading towards revival swiftly as number of steps were taken to steer it into profitability. Fuel and utility bills were eating up a bigger portion of the government’s funding to railways. Since 1995 the fuel prices had registered 800% increase, while the national carrier increased fares for freight trains and passenger services by 105% and 70% respectively. The Railways presently has 100 locomotives to run its entire operation, including 200 passenger and freight coaches.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 10th, 2013.
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