PM to inaugurate two trains on Sept 14
LAHORE: Federal Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad has said that Railway projects under China-Pakistan Economic Corridor(CPEC)will be reevaluated by an evaluation committee of the department.
He was addressing a press conference at Pakistan Railways(PR)Headquarters before signing of an agreement with the Jamshoro Power Company (Pvt) Ltd about transportation of coal here Saturday.
He said that CPEC Evaluation Committee would assess the actual position of the projects is to minimise the opportunities under the zero-tolerance policy for corruption of Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said that another committee, headed by PR Chairman Javaid Anwar and CEO Aftab Akbar, had been formed called Investment Committee, which would supervise the investment matters in the railways.
Sheikh Rashid said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the operation of two trains including Mianwali Express and Margalla Express at the Prime Minister House, Islamabad on Sept 14.
“We are planning to operate two more new trains including Moenjodaro Express between Sukkur and Kotri and another inexpensive train between Karachi and Peshawar,” he added.
The minister said that it had been decided to deposit Rs100 million every year to the Prime Minister and Chief Justice Dam Fund, adding that Rs1 and Rs2 for a ticket worth Rs100 and over would respectively be charged from economy class passengers.
“Rs 10 will be charged from every AC Sleeper passenger and this income will be deposited to the Dam Fund,” he added.
He disclosed that Gwadar had been made another railways division and one extra salary would be given to the officers who would opt to work there.
He said that the PR already had 250-acre land in Gwadar and now it had been decided to purchase another 300 acres to meet the future operational needs.
The minister said that Quetta-Tuftan 700-kilometre section would be rebuilt and it would be used for commercial operations, while pilgrims could also use this track.
He said that another deal with Maple Leaf Cement Company was in the pipeline.
He said that two websites would also be launched, including Complaints Website and Investment Website.
Later on, the agreement-signing ceremony between Jamshoro Power Company and Railway Transportation Freight Company was held. The PR is expecting Rs4.5 billion per annum income from the agreement.
Honorable minister Sh Rashid’ s initiative for Pakistan Railways reorganization, expansion, adding facilities etc is right step in the right direction, but still a lot to be done to modernize, safe journey, food vendors checking to provide quality food and last but not the least to make railway a profitable organization. It seems that previously railways used to be a govt department but with the passage of time, it has also been a corporation like entity, enjoying people so called two shows with one ticket, which has made this institution inefficient, incompetent resulting incurring losses of billions of rupees every year.( Rs 40 billion last year.) That need to be ponder over and relieve public from such colossal loss that tantamount to this fact for every ticket of say Rs 100/- one is paying say Rs 150 or around. How the worthy minister relieve the public from this menace is yet to be seen?