Carrying your cargo: ‘Super Parcel Express’ resumes operations

The cargo train travels between Karachi City Station and Lahore's Badami Bagh Railway Station .

KARACHI:

With the Pakistan Railways gaining momentum after the induction of 45 locomotives, the utility has recently resumed the 'Super Parcel Express' cargo service.

The express is a cargo train with covered wagons that runs between Karachi City Station and Lahore's Badami Bagh Railway Station.

After almost two decades of service, the cargo train's operations were stopped in June 2011 when the Pakistan Railways was facing a severe crisis in terms of locomotive shortage.

The express started running again on September 2. It is expected to make two trips a week, carrying 23 covered carriages. Each wagon will be loaded with 60 tonnes of cargo from Karachi's dry port, which will be transported to Lahore. The train departs from the City Station at 11pm on Tuesday and Saturday and reaches its destination in 36 hours.

According to Pakistan Railways divisional commercial officer (DCO) Nasir Nazir, the train will generate revenue worth Rs300 million a year, if operated with the same schedule. However, Pakistan Railways plans to operate it daily if possible.

"If we get more load, we will run it on a daily basis," said Nazir, adding that the locomotive shortage has been redressed effectively with the induction of 45 Chinese locomotives. He said that they will get nine more engines in a few days from China, bringing the strength to 54.

"Our service is safer, cheaper and quicker compared to trucks," he said, commenting on why people should opt for railways goods service instead of trucks. The train is charging Rs130,000 for a wagon that carries 60 tonnes load which is cheaper than trucks. "Our goods train takes 24 hours to reach their destinations while the trucks take three days on roads."

Currently, the major contracts that the utility holds pertain to the transportation of coal, cement and furnace oil to power stations and factories. Pakistan Railways is operating five freight trains from Karachi to different parts of the country on a daily basis. The workers' unions of the utility have welcomed the move and call it a positive step towards progress and prosperity of workers.

"The management should concentrate on freight service and should bring more freight coaches to get back to its previous position when 15 to 20 freight trains would operate on a daily basis," said Pakistan Railways Mazdoor Union divisional president Malik Muqadar Zaman.

Zaman said that the Super Parcel Express should run daily. He also suggested that the remaining freight trains, which were closed at the time of crisis, should be resumed. "Railways make money through freight service and if we run more trains we will not only be able to meet our own expenses but will also be able to pay back the loans and buy more locomotives."

Published in The Express Tribune, September 7^th, 2014.