LAHORE: Federal Railway Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique has said that the losses of Pakistan Railways have been reduced significantly as Rs 32 billion losses in 2013 brought down to Rs 27 billion and efforts are being made to further reduce it up to Rs 3 to 4 billion during current year.
Addressing the Labour Union Convention of PR here at Aiwan-e-Iqbal, he said all out efforts are being made to make Railways profit oriented department and loss is being reduced every year. He said that Railway losses will be reduced to run the wheel and no stone will be left unturned to eliminate corruption. He said that revenue of Rs140 million was received from advertisement on Railway stations and trains and timely pension payment has been ensured.
The minister said that the railways would utilize the biggest portion of its earning on reducing its deficit and one of its portion for the betterment of PR workers. The government has given Rs 41 billion in PSDP to PR besides extending other support, and the PR itself have to make efforts for its improvement, he said.
Saad said the branding of 14 railway stations and 5 trains would help in generating income of about Rs 140 million annually. He said that steps had been taken for bringing improvement in the department like separate GP account had been made, train staff life insurance had been started and many others.
He said that efforts were on to make Locomotive and Carriage factories as state of the art factories. He said that PR locomotive factory needs a joint venture with a big locomotive manufacturing company so that our locomotive factory could produce locomotives according to Pakistan’s requirements and conditions.
The minister said that sleeper factory was making 200,000 sleepers whereas 400,000 were needed, adding that production of sleepers would be increased. The Minister further said work was being carried out regarding feasibility of the ML2, adding that practical work on ML1 would start soon. He said that work was also being carried out to link Quetta with Peshawar.
