RAWALPINDI - Pakistan Railways has received around seven overhauled locomotives, which will help improve its efficiency.
“Pakistan Railways has repaired 40 locomotives through its own resources and it has the capacity to repair around ten engines every month subject to availability of spareparts and funds,” Divisional Superintendent Railways Munawar Shah told APP on Tuesday.
He said out of the recently repaired engines around 20 locomotives would be used in freight service to generate income. He said around eight engines would also be overhauled during current month.
Pakistan Railways has completed dualization of Lodhran-Sahiwal track while dualization of Raiwind-Sahiwal section is underway. The completion of this project would help reduce travelling time between Lahore and Karachi.
According to an estimate, running about 15 to 20 goods trains can steer the Railways out of prevailing financial crunch if operated on regular basis.
Around 55 modern coaches from China have arrived in the country which would be attached with different trains after completing the required tests.
“Among 55 coaches, 12 are air-conditioned business class, one AC sleeper, 31 economy class, five power vans, four brake vans and two are dining cars,” official sources in Pakistan Railways said.
They said that 147 more coaches would be prepared in Islamabad Carriage Factory by the Railway engineers at a cost of Rs 17 billion, which would help improve efficiency of Pakistan Railways.
The sources said coaches are prepared on modern techniques and are equipped with almost every facility. “The coaches certainly will help to improve Railways operational efficiency.”
Elaborating, they said along with central cooling system, the coaches have eastern and western toilet facility. The coaches have also the system to indicate if they have any technical and mechanical fault.
In the business class coaches, they said the facility of clean drinking water has been provided, while extra 950-gallon water tankers have been installed.
The sources said all-out efforts are being made to make Pakistan Railways (PR) a profit earning organization. They said that last year was very difficult period for Pakistan Railways but now things have started changing and during this year, the affairs of Pakistan Railways would notice positive changes.