ISLAMABAD  -   Pakistan Railways has accumulated around Rs 905 million revenue from the leased land for 33 years from 2003-2018 to different departments and parties across the country.

Pakistan Railways had set a target to earn around Rs11 billion revenue after completion of the leased period in its six divisions including Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Lahore, Sukkur, Quetta, and Karachi, a document said. However, the department has allocated 33 points on lease out of which 10 places have been given to oil and gas companies, eight were handed over to a defence institution and four points given to the other department.

According to details, in Karachi Division, the organisation had leased out its land in Hyderabad and eight different locations in Karachi which would generate a total of Rs4864.62 million whereas the Pakistan Railways has so far received Rs292.13 million from the process.

In Rawalpindi Division, the land has been leased out in Sargodha, Islamabad and Sara-e-Alamgir on GT Road, Jhelum and Bhalwal which would generate Rs1049.05 million and the department has so far earned Rs154.96 million.

In Lahore Division, the land has been leased out in Sialkot, Lahore, Kasur, Faisalabad, Bahawalnagar, and Shah Ismail which would earn revenue of Rs 3122.73 million after completion of the lease period, adding Pakistan Railways has so far earned Rs30.45 million, the document said.

The organization has leased out land in Multan, Muzaffargarh and Bahawalnagar, under Multan Division, which would generate Rs555 million and Pakistan Railways has so far earned Rs54 million from the lease process. In Sukkur Division, Pakistan Railways has leased out land at Sukkur, Shikarpur, Rahim Yar Khan and Sadiqabad which would generate a total of Rs535.36 million and the organisation has so far earned Rs384.88 million.

In Quetta Division, Pakistan Railways has rented out its land for fuel stations in Quetta city which would generate a total of Rs153 million and the railways has so far earned Rs33.34 million, the document said.

Meanwhile, Ministry of Railways is planning to upgrade and renovate as many as 31 railway stations across the country at an estimated cost of Rs2972.95 million for provision of better facilities to the passengers.

“In this regard, Pakistan Railways has submitted PC-I for approval to rehabilitation and up-gradation of the railway stations,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP. Giving details of the railway stations, he said that Pakistan Railways will be upgrade nine railway stations in Punjab province, 12 in Sindh, five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three in Balochistan and one in Federal Capital.

The official said that Pakistan Railways will spend Rs977.32 million for up-gradation of railway in Punjab, Rs1242.93 million in Sindh, Rs442.71 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Rs243.49 million in Balochistan and Rs66.5 million in Federal Capital.

He said that Pakistan Railways had incurred Rs144.605 million on the repair, renovation and re-construction of railway stations across the country from January 1, 2012 to 31st December, 2014.

“Out of total amount Pakistan Railways has spent Rs86.556million on repair and renovation of railway stations in Punjab, Rs57.278 million in Sindh, Rs0.371 million in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Rs0.400 million in Balochistan,” he added.

To a question, the official said that renovation work of track, bridges and stations on Sibi-Khost Section is in progress and will be completed as soon as possible.

He said that renovation work on the section included rehabilitation of eight railway stations at an estimated cost of Rs238 million, out of which an amount of Rs155 million has been incurred so far.