ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways (PR) will procure 230 passenger coaches and 820 high-capacity coaches under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) to help improve train speeds and ensure adherence to the fixed timetables.
“Out of the total, about 46 CBU coaches have been procured so far, the remaining 184 would be domestically manufactured and the couchettes would be capable of travelling at a speed of 160 km,” said an official in the railway ministry.
“Pakistan Railways is making maximum efforts to complete rehabilitation and reconstruction works on the railway line to improve the speed of locomotives to transport passengers to their respective destinations on time,” he added.
The infrastructure, including the track and signaling system from Karachi to Peshawar, Main Line-I (ML-I) and doubling of track from Lahore to Peshawar (462.20 km) has also been revamped, he added.
The official noted that the track length was 1,726 kilometres and the ministry planned to improve the speed up to 160 kilometers per hour in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) ML-I modernization project.
He said that the rolling stock procured under this project will be capable of running at 160 km while the department has a dedicated fleet of 55 diesel-electric locomotives of 4000-4500 HP for freight operation to ensure maximum transportation at higher speed.
“Computerized Interlocking System (CBI) is being installed at 48 ML-I stations to improve signaling and interlocking devices for higher speed and safety of train operations,” the official added.
To a question, he said that Pakistan Railways is a large organization with around 63,000 employees and its network is spread across the country.
The official said the employees were well looked after through a range of social activities, including health facilities through an intensive network of hospitals, dispensaries and children’s health facilities.
He said these facilities include the provision of government accommodation as per entitlement and priority list, employee benevolent funds, benefits and incentives provided under Prime Minister’s family assistance package policy to families of deceased employees.
While other facilities included benefits and incentives provided through policy for families of disabled employees, monthly grants to widows on the scale, the establishment of primary and secondary schools, industrial schools for teaching handicrafts, sports activities, pick-up and drop-off facilities for schools/offices, installation of water filters, a special provision of five medical posts at Riphah Islamic Universities with a 50 percent reduction in admission and tuition fees.
