Luggage van outsourcing: Railways generates Rs5.91bn in five years

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has generated a revenue of PKR 5.91 billion over the past five years through the outsourcing of luggage vans.

A senior official of Pakistan Railways stated this in a meeting of the Senate Standing Committee on Railways held under the chairmanship of Senator Shahadat Awan on Monday.

Members of the committee appreciated the Railway officials and directed them to further optimise under-utilised assets to make them profitable.

The committee also recommended that the Ministry of Railways brief them about leasing or renting out the railways’ properties near dry ports in the next meeting.

During the session, the committee recommended that the Ministry provide a comprehensive briefing in the next meeting regarding actions taken against illegal encroachments on the railway land in Karachi, in line with the orders of the Supreme Court, specifically demanding a detailed report on the current status of settlement and shifting of the encroachers.

The chairman said security and asset recovery remained a top priority, as the Committee sought periodic reports on the misappropriation and recovery of stolen railway materials and the progress of related FIRs.

On the fiscal front, the members appreciated Pakistan Railways for meeting staff reduction targets.

These administrative reviews were balanced with significant infrastructure updates, including the approval of a Rs9.72 billion project to secure 177 unmanned vulnerable level crossings in Punjab, 100 in Sindh, and the ongoing efforts to resolve long-standing lease disputes, such as the Hyatt Regency Hotel project.

The committee was briefed on the progress of key infrastructure initiatives, including the ML-I project and the implementation of the Railways Advanced Infrastructure Network (RAIN) and WIM.

Concluding the session, the Committee emphasised the necessity of maintaining absolute transparency in project funding and coordination with international financial institutions.

The committee chairman asked the Ministry to provide information regarding a public notice advertised by the government to restrict the use of the premises of Railways by social media influencers, bloggers, or the general public for advertising, filming, or photographing.

He stated that such notice is breaching the right to information and access, being a fundamental right protected by the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

Among those who attended the meeting were Senators Dost Ali Jeesar, Senator Nasir Mehmood Butt, and senior officials of Pakistan Railways.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026