ISLAMABAD: The revenues of Pakistan Railways would significantly increase after induction of nine new locomotives, recently delivered by China out of 58 to its fleet.
The nine locomotives, each having 3,000 horse power, were unloaded at Karachi Port. These would be inducted into the system after initial tests and used for operation of freight trains, an official of Pakistan Railways told APP.
After many years new locomotives are being inducted into the system as they are the lifeline for the Pakistan Railways, the official added.
So far nine locomotives had reached Pakistan from China and the remaining locomotives would be supplied by the manufacturers by the end of the current year.
He said that a team of 50 Railways officials had been sent to China for getting training to operate and maintain these locomotives who will also serve as the master-trainers to guide other staff.
At present Pakistan Railway is operating, on an average, three to four freight trains on daily basis and their frequency is likely to increase with the induction of the new locomotives, he added.
He said that Karachi Railway Division operated 100 freight trains during the month of March, after a halt of freight operation for three years when it came to stand still due to non-availability of locomotives, resulting in a big revenue loss to the railways.
Each freight train is generating a revenue of Rs 2.5 to 3 million and according to sources the Karachi Railway Division earned a revenue of Rs 300 million during March 2014, he said.
The official said that department has the demand and the capacity to carry freight with availability of wagons and arrival of new locomotives into the system will certainly boost freight operation resulting in further increase in the revenue.
The proactive measures in Pakistan Railways are bearing fruits as its revenue streams have registered a significant increase from 2013 to 2014 and department managed to earn Rs15.968 billion.
The revenue streams of the department were Rs11.497 billion as compared with the same period of corresponding year, thus registering an increase of 39 per cent which is Rs4.470 billion.
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