Freight train services to be expanded next year: Rafique

Railways minister says every effort will be made to turn around organisation.

LAHORE:

There will be around 90 to 100 dedicated locomotives available for freight purposes till next year in order to make the sector vibrant, said Pakistan Railways (PR) Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique at the PR dry port yesterday.

Presently, PR has only eight locomotives and Rafique said more were the need of the hour. The PR has resumed freight train services after almost three-and-a-half years to increase the organisation’s earnings.

Rafique added that passenger and freight train services would not succumb to pressure, saying that the management had authority to make decisions in the interest of the organisation.

“I was under pressure from parliamentarians for the restoration and suspension of some services but this is an issue that would be dealt by the management,” said Rafique.

The PR has suffered a huge financial loss with this year’s alone calculated at Rs33.50 billion, said Rafique, adding that efforts were under way to reduce the number. However, PR, during the current year, has already spent Rs3 billion above its target.

Responding to a question over the death of a pensioner employee in office premises, Rafique said the pay and pension system was being automated and it would take almost two to three years to complete the task. Presently, 250 pensioners were getting their money through this system and, after three years, everyone would be able to avail the facility, Rafiq added.

Rafique admitted that there was no vision to restore the entity in the past but efforts are now under way to make it a profitable organisation. In the upcoming Public Sector Development Programme, sufficient funds would be allocated to PR, Rafique added. “We would maintain balance between rail and road freight with the induction of more locomotives.

“The PR was facing a shortage of honest and dedicated human resource to implement good policies and make the organisation financially vibrant.”

Freight business at Mughalpura dry port was brought to a halt three-and-a-half years ago. The port was established in 1974 over an area of 250 kanals, having six sheds to house 324 wagons. Till today, about eight freight trains have reached the dry port . In addition to Mughalpura, Fasialabad dry port had also become operational.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 16^th, 2014.

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