Pak Rlys plan to launch 13 new cargo trains

Karachi: Pakistan Railways (PR) plans to launch 13 new cargo trains soon for upcountry to improve its financial condition. At present, there were only three cargo trains running between Karachi and Peshawar with a recent addition of one more train, Peer Muhammad Khaskhaili, Divisional Superintendent (DS) PR Karachi said.

'As PR track has the capacity to accommodate 13 more trains for upcountry and this is our target to start the service soon to boost the income. This is the only way to minimise the economic crisis of the railways,' he said.

He said that all cargo trains, to be added to the already existing cargo service, would be made locally through repairing the old engines and bogies, and there was no plan to import spare parts. In reply to a query, Khaskhaili said that private firms were given only some bogies in different trains and for this service these companies were paying railways handsome.

According to sources Pakistan Railways (PR) has for the first time earned record additional revenue of Rs 3.402 billion during the current financial year - July 1, 2008 to January 31, 2009. The railways had earned a revenue of Rs 10.4 billion during this period last year and it rose to Rs 13.805 billion during the period under review.

They said the increased revenue was achieved due to its commitment to the clients for safe delivery and control on ticket less travelling. On the freight side, the railways loaded 6000 additional wagons as compared to last year's number. Last year railways had loaded 176,989 wagons and this number stood at 182,839 wagons in the current financial year.

However, some other sources said that railways had never taken its cargo service sector serious. They said only three stations currently covered by PR like Faisalabad, Peshawar, and Multan were not enough to improve the cargo service as most of the small stations were being covered by private companies.

Chenab Express and Super Parcel Express (SPE), the mail trains of 10 bogies, were being used for forwarding goods by private companies, they added. Despite depriving itself from freight fares, as the sources said, PR had also stopped the 'To-pay' (the fare to be paid by the parcel receiver) facility in which ultimately caused economic loss to the railways.

There were also many other issues like unwillingness by railway staff to improve their customer service. 'Though the government had promised to improve the cargo sector of PR, but so far nothing tangible the crisis has been done,' they added. In Pakistan 70 percent earnings of PR come from passenger and only 30 percent from the mail or cargo service.