PR to acquire 50 locomotives on lease to overcome shortage

ISLAMABAD: Shortage and out of order locomotives have forced Pakistan Railways to suspend and reduce its certain services on different routs thus resulting in inconveniences for the masses.

Considering the austerity of the issue and in order to meet the demand Pakistan Railways will acquire 50 locomotives from any country depending upon the lease terms and conditions, an official of Railways' Ministry told APP.

He said that Pakistan Railways needs 300 locomotives urgently to run its affairs properly, therefore a special committee has been constituted to take as many as 50 locomotives on lease from any country till the provision of bailout money for repair of 100 out of order locomotives.

He said that at -least 25 to 30 engines should be inducted in Railways fleet every month for uninterrupted and timely train services to the people of Pakistan.

He told that a tender for purchase of 500 locomotives have been floated while another tender for acquiring 27 to 46 more locomotives would be floated soon.

He added that the matter of purchase of locomotives from China was in the high court and Pakistan Railways could not get a single locomotive from China until the case is decided.

The official said that as part of a bailout package Pakistan Railways is expecting to get Rs. 10 billion in this August for rehabilitation and repair of tracks and locomotives.

He said that Rs.four billion which is being given by the federal government under PSDP and will be spent on rehabilitation of tracks and coaches, while Rs. six billion to be given through a banking consortium will be utilized for the repair and maintenance of locomotives.

He said measures are underway to bring Pakistan Railways out of crisis.

Copyright APP (Associated Press of Pakistan), 2011