Government sees improved train service in near future

Islamabad

Amid rumours of upcoming privatisation of Pakistan Railways (PR), the government sights improved train service in near future as the consortium of three companies from the United States, Germany and China has formally conveyed to Ministry of Railways that it would start delivery of 58 diesel electric locomotives costing Rs20.3 billion from February, sources told this correspondent here on Friday.

Sources said that the Pakistan Railways has received a letter from the consortium in which it showed its ability to start delivery of diesel electric locomotives from February with each costing Rs350 million.

“The high-ups of Pakistan Railways have decided to use 23 locomotives at the initial stage to know whether these would function properly with the existing railway infrastructure because it had faced bad experience when 69 locomotives purchased in the Musharraf era failed to work properly,” sources said.

The official documents showed that the body of the locomotives have been manufactured by US-based firm while frames and electric parts have been prepared by Chinese and German companies respectively.

Sources said the Ministry of Railways is also holding talks with 40 companies and Turkish investors for Rs300 billion upgradation of railway track system in tandem with purchase of new locomotives

with an aim to increase average speed of trains to 120 km/hour from the present 92 km/hour.

Sources said the high-ups of the Ministry of Pakistan Railways would embark on an ambitious rehabilitation plan to bring rail service at par with international standards to shun rumours of privatization of Pakistan Railways.

“The Ministry of Railways is also reviewing a project to make 70 locomotives functional in the coming months that would increase the number of functional locomotives to 240 that would help improve rail service in the country,” sources said.

According to official record, the Pakistan Railways has a total of 465 diesel electric locomotives out of which only 170 are functional and remaining have been placed in sheds for last many years.

Secretary Railway Board Aftab Akbar told this scribe that they have taken utmost care before striking a deal with an international consortium for purchase of diesel electric locomotives keeping in view the past experience of the Musharraf regime.

“All three companies operating under a consortium enjoy good reputation at the international level and manufacturing of locomotives have been done in line with our local requirements and existing infrastructure,” he said.

He said, “The consortium has informed us through a letter that it would start delivering locomotives from February that would certainly help us achieve the target of increasing average rail speed up to 120 kilometres per hour.”