LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways (PR), in near future, is all set to inspect prototype models of the state-of-the-art passenger coaches and high-capacity freight wagons it wants to procure from a leading Chinese company.

Several junior and senior officials will also travel to China soon where some of them will inspect the models (as per specifications, designs etc) and some will take part in training being organised by the Chinese firm as a part of two different contracts to transfer technology of manufacturing modern coaches in Pakistan, Dawn has learnt.

“Under $140 million contract (Rs31 billion approximately) awarded by Pakistan Railways, a Chinese company is liable to manufacture 230 state-of-the-art passenger coaches, out of which 46 will be provided to us in the form of completely built unit (CBU) and the remaining 184 will be manufactured here in Pakistan by our engineers and technical staff under supervision of the Chinese,” PR’s Chief Mechanical Engineer (CME) Abdul Haseeb explained while talking to Dawn on Saturday.

“The contract of procuring 800 wagons and 20 brake wagons is separate to this contract,” he added.

Officials will visit China for training as a part of technology transfer

The manufacturing of 184 coaches in Pakistan, according to him, is a part of the contract called “Transfer of Technology” after which the PR would not require any help from China for manufacturing of such rolling stock.

To a question, Mr Haseeb said, for the coaches planned to be manufactured in Pakistan (The PR Carriage Factory, Islamabad), the Chinese firm would be responsible to provide spare parts and raw material.

He said the officials proceeding to China included 18 for design inspection, 20 for other sorts of inspections and the rest for participating in the training related to transfer of technology.

To another question, he said the expense to be incurred on travelling, TA/DA, lodging, boarding would be borne by the firm since it is a part of the contract.

According to another contract, the PR is set to procure as many as 800 high capacity wagons and 20 brake vans and a letter of credit has already been opened in March, this year.

Under the contract agreement clause No. 9.3.1 and 14,1.2 and 24, inspectors for a period of 21 days each will visit manufacturers’ premises for inspection and training purposes.

“The officers nominated are due to the reason that the design/prototype approval/inspection is carried out by the senior officials being complicated in nature and the officers selected are from the available pool,” reads a letter issued recently.

Meanwhile, the names of the officials proceeding to China soon to inspect the models and get training have been announced by the PR.

The officials (from grade 5 and above) included Shahid Aziz (AGM-mechanical), Salman Sadiq Sheikh (GM, maintenance & service), Adnan Shafai ( PR, rehabilitation), Rahat Mirza (divisional superintendent), Abdul Malik (DG planning), Aqeel Yousaf (MD, Risalpur Loco factory), Iftikhar Hussain (PD), Muhammad Yousaf Leghari (PD), Abdul Haseeb Bhurgri (chief mechanical engineer), Kashif Rasheed Yousfani (DS), Kashif Farooq (Deputy CME), Muhammad Farooq (deputy chief engineer), Hamdan Nazir (deputy chief goods operation), Zulfiqar Sheikh (deputy CM Loco), Imitiaz Hussain Farooqi (director operations), Fahad Masood Janjua (deputy director), Muhammad Fasahatullah (DME), Muhammad Ishtiaq Abbasi (workshop manager), Sarmad Ibrahim (DME), Muhammad Amir (EFO), Rehan Ahmad (train examiner, washing line), Hafiz Muhammad Javed (train examiner), Attaullah Ansari (carriage inspector) and Amanullah Ansari (head train examiner).

Published in Dawn, August 7th, 2022