Pakistan Railways has earned more than Rs13.547 billion in non-fare revenue over the past five financial years through the leasing of its commercial and agricultural land, as part of efforts to make the department financially self-sustaining.
According to an official from the Ministry of Railways, the department has leased out approximately 14,042 acres of land for a variety of commercial and development purposes via competitive bidding, conducted in accordance with the Railway Property and Land Rules, 2023, which were approved by the federal cabinet.
These initiatives are being overseen by the Real Estate Development and Marketing Company (REDAMCO) — a subsidiary of the Ministry of Railways — which is spearheading efforts to expand the department’s non-fare revenue streams.
In addition to leasing operations, the ministry is also accelerating its nationwide anti-encroachment campaign to reclaim illegally occupied railway land from individuals, private entities, and organized land grabbers. Under the direction of Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi, all divisional superintendents have received joint procedural orders to intensify recovery operations.
The campaigns are being carried out in collaboration with Railway Police and district administrations of the relevant provincial governments.
In a recent major operation in the Lahore Division, Pakistan Railways successfully reclaimed 15 acres of high-value land in the Mehmood Booti area — land estimated to be worth Rs50 billion. The recovered area had been illegally developed into a housing society, which also contained seven factories, seven markets, and two petrol pumps.
Authorities sealed all commercial installations — including the society, factories, markets, and fuel stations — during the operation, the official confirmed.
