Pakistan Railways is ready to introduce a freight train daily for the exporters and importers of Southern Punjab. This was stated by Railways' Multan division's superintendent Zafar Kalwar at a meeting held at Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry (MCCI). It was attended, among others, by MCCI president Mian Fareed Mughis A. Sheikh, vice president Muhammad Tariq Khan, former presidents Mian Iqbal Hassan, Muhammad Khan Sadozai, Khawaja Muhammad Yousaf, secretary general Khurram Javed and divisional commercial officer (DCO) Tahir Khan Marwat.
The DS said that Railways, at present, has an operational fleet of over 130 locomotives, but only around 100 of them were being used for passenger and freight transport and the remaining for shunting services. He said that most of the 60 diesel electric locomotives being purchased by Railways at a cost of Rs19.4 billion will be used for passenger trains and the remaining for increasing freight operations.
The Railways official informed the meeting that automatic door system, CBI System and modern signalling system was being introduced to improve the service.
The MCCI chief said that there is a need for a cargo train service at the Multan's dry port for attracting attention of importers and exporters. Multan's dry port, he added, was one of the most essential projects for the expansion of business in the South Punjab region.
He said that the project was proposed by the traders, and that the Pakistan Railways had agreed to operate a cargo train service, which was expected to raise commercial movement of imports and exports at the port.
However, when the MCCI chief informed the Railway official that the project for which Pakistan Railways had provided 25 acres of land near Shershah has been reportedly shelved, the DCO said that the Railway authorities were ready to construct a separate railway junction for the importers of this region by declaring Shershah junction a bounded area. However, the initial cost of the project, which is estimated at around Rs170m, could be initiated under public-private partnership.
The MCCI chief on this occasion raised the issue of restoring Multan Chamber's representation in Railway advisory committee and emphasised the need for laying a track for Multan's dry port at Shershah.
He was of the view that a cargo train service was vital for giving boost to the region's industrial sector.
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