ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has completed the feasibility study and preliminary design for the upgradation of Main Line-I, from Peshawar to Karachi, under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).
“It is top priority of Pakistan Railways to upgrade the ML-I as it caters to 70 percent passenger and freight traffic,” said a Railways ministry official.
The groundwork on project, he said, is likely to be initiated by March. “Although Pakistan Railways has set an ambitious target for starting the groundwork, it is working hard to meet this target,” he added.
The ML-I should be completed in five years, with the upgradation resulting in increase of the speed of trains, he said.
“In 2012-13, only 92 passenger and eight freight trains had run on the system in pathetic conditions but now over 100 passengers and around 55 freight trains are operational,” he added.
Regarding the availability of locomotives, he said that in 2013 only 160 locomotives were functional out of 465 but now with the effort of the government, 324 locomotives out of 473 are functional.
“During the current tenure of the government as many as 140 locomotives of different horsepower have been added to the fleet and contract of another 20 locomotives has already been awarded to General Electric,” he added.
The earning of the Pakistan Railways has improved. In 2013, it grossed Rs18 billion and in 2016-17, it has around Rs40 billion – more than twice in comparison, said the Railway official.
“During the next 12 to 15 years, Pakistan Railways will have the best system in the region if it continued working on the foundation installed by the current government,” he said.
Pakistan Railways has improved the living standard of coolies, providing them with green uniform and directed their contractors to provide them food and common rooms.
“Pakistan Railways is transporting oil through three to four trains, earning revenue of Rs10 to 20 billion annually,” he said, adding that the department is providing five trains to Sahiwal coal project which makes revenue of Rs13 billion out of which Railways get Rs5 billion.”
To another question, he said that Pakistan Railways has not taken any bailout package from the government during the last four and half years while the department has met its expenses from its own resources.
“The punctuality of the trains has been improved, the ratio now being 75 percent, adding that in 2013 the oil reserves were only for one day but now Pakistan Railways has oil reserves for 17 days,” he added.
He said the department has retrieved 1055 acres from the land grabbers and the operation in this regard is underway with the help of Pakistan Railway Police and local administration.
