ISLAMABAD: The punctuality of trains has improved markedly after the concerted and persistent efforts of Pakistan Railways, which has now increased to 77 percent from only 37 percent in the last year of the previous government.
“With the punctuality of trains and other steps taken by the government, around 20 million passengers have been added in last five years which is an evidence of big achievement by the department,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
He said in 2012-13, only 92 passengers’ and eight freight trains were running on system with pathetic conditions but now over 100 passengers and around 55 freight trains are running on the system.
“In the past, by the year 2013, there were only eight freight trains were operating while as many as 466 locomotives are in operation now which has improved business of freight,” he added.
To a question about the oil reserves, he said there was fuel reserve of only one day in the past and now it had been increased to reserves sufficient for 16 days, keeping an eye on prices of oil in the international market, and ensuring maximum saving in using oil through purchases.
The official said that Pakistan Railways is operating freight trains, carrying coal and can meet the requirement of all the power plants being operated on coal.
He said that more than five trains are being operated to ensure supply of coal to the power plants. The Railways had developed the capacity to meet additional demand for coal for power plants at Jamshoro also.
He said that Pakistan Railways had reduced the railway fare making it competitive with the road transport. He claimed that the Pakistan Railways is the cheapest mode of transport in the country.
Referring to railway stations, he said there are 550 stations in the country and around 15 of them had been upgraded to meet the needs of modern time, he added.
He said that the quality of food served in the passenger trains had been improved considerably as he personally supervised it that the passengers should get pure and quality food on the trains.
He said the earning of the Pakistan Railways had been improved, and in 2013, it had Rs 18 billion and in 2016-17, it has around Rs 40 billion.
Pakistan Railways has improved the living standard of collies and provided them green uniform and directed their contractors to provide them food and common rooms, he said.
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