KARACHI, May 7: The government has approved a Rs75 billion plan to connect Gwadar port by rail to streamline cargo movement, says federal Minister for Railways Shaikh Rashid.
Addressing a press conference here on Sunday, Shaikh Rashid said the government would invite private sector to participate in the mega project.
Referring to the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway, he said that the system would be revived and the government also wanted to run circular trains in eight other major cities.
TRAIN FARES: The minister said that there was a possibility of a reasonable increase in train fares in the wake of increases in diesel prices but it would be done in a way to ensure poor people were not affected, adding that it would also not affect people travelling on routes ranging between 50 and 100 miles.
Shaikh Rashid said: “We are examining (ways) to increase train fares in such a way that the burden is shifted to people travelling in air-conditioned and upper class compartments.”
He said the railways would be transformed into ‘Awami train’. He said he had started touring all seven divisions of railways to get first-hand information about areas needing immediate improvement
KHOKHRAPAR SERVICE: The minister announced the launching of a daily train service between Khokhrapar and Mirpurkhas to provide an additional facility to people of rural areas in Sindh.
“Pakistan Railways will be revolutionised at a rapid pace through optimum utilisation of available resources and creation of new ones by adopting a practical approach,” he said.
Shaikh Rashid said that the schedule of Sukkur Express had been revised according to people’s demands.
Referring to additional resource generation, he said that private companies would be allowed to run four new trains, adding that they would pay ‘track access charges’.
About railway commuters’ security, he said that a fibre optic line would be laid for a number of purposes, including installation of surveillance cameras, adding that it would provide additional protection to national assets.
Shaikh Rashid said railway signals would be upgraded while orders had been issued for computerising the domestic ticketing system.
He also said that the frequency of freight trains would be increased from eight to 10 in Karachi.
He said that talks were being held with all chambers of commerce on ways on maximising the use of freight trains.
“We are adopting a pragmatic approach to take the railways out of the red and to provide maximum facilities to passengers,” he said.
LOSS CONTROL: Effort would be made to overcome the huge losses incurred by the Pakistan Railways within a year, the minister said.
“The deficit is fairly huge and we can overcome this through cargo trains. (But) there is an acute shortage of freight wagons and locomotives,” he said.
Shaikh Rashid said that a study in this respect is being carried out. — APP
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