LAHORE - Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that Pakistan Railways has succeeded in winning the passengers' confidence, as more than 15 million more passengers opted the this option for their travel during the last five years.
He said that passenger-friendly policies of Pakistan Railways attracted a large number of passengers as after several years a heavy crowd of passengers with families were witnessed at different railway stations across the country.
Addressing a press conference here at Railways Headquarters on Friday, the minister said that Pakistan Railways would earn more than Rs50 billion profits by the end of the current fiscal year ending on June 2018.
He said the losses have been decreased by Rs5 billion while the revenue has been increased by almost Rs18 billion.
Due to an improved timetable of the trains, better condition of the railway coaches and engine, people have started to prefer to travel through rail and it is an achievement of the government to bring back the passengers to the railways, he said.
He also informed that Pakistan Railway has almost 73,000 employees and 18,000 pensioners while 65 percent revenue is being spent for welfare of employees.
Pakistan Railways has improved its revenue, its revenue was Rs 18 billion in 2012-13, which was increased to Rs 23 billion in the first year of present government in 2013-14, improving to Rs 32 billion in 2014-15, then Rs 36 billion in 2015-16, Rs 40 billion in 2016-17 and now Rs50 billion in 2017-18.
The minister said that the availability of operational coaches has also increased to almost 1,250 to date from around 970 in 2013 due to increased spending on up-gradation of coaches, which has reached Rs 81 billion in 2016-17 from expenditure of Rs 48 billion in 2012-13.
He said that before 2013 even passenger wagons were not being repaired as per requirement due to less allocation of funds but the position substantially improved through allocation of additional funds for refurbishment of coaches.
In 2013, Pakistan Railways was running only 55 locomotives but today after almost five years the Railways has over 200 locomotives, he added.
In the past five years, the locomotive strength for freight operation has reached 85 compared to eight in 2013. Pakistan Railways has increased 1250 passenger coaches in five years from 970 in 2013. Up till now, 790 coaches and 1900 wagons have been rolled out after special repair. For the first time 55 new freight specific locomotives of 4500 HP have been added to the existing fleet. He said that the Railways is now providing facility of online booking at its website which was not available before 2013, as 1.35 million passengers purchased Rs1.80 billion worth tickets through online service.
The transportation capacity of PR has been increased by employing higher speed and higher payload trains. Focus has shifted towards freight sector which is a profitable venture, as 55 per cent revenue has been generated from passenger and 31 percent from freight against 80 per cent from passenger and only 11 percent from freight in 2013.
He said that with introduction of e-governance, the record of Ministry of Railways was also preserved.
Public private partnership has been introduced and different avenues were explored to maximize profitability.