Federal Minister for Railways, Muhammad Hanif Abbasi announced on Wednesday that 70 power plants, 43 new American “GU-40” locomotives, and newly refurbished passenger coaches would be inducted into the railway fleet over the next six months.
He stated that meeting these core operational needs would significantly improve passenger and freight operations, modernize travel facilities, and substantially boost department revenues.
In an interview with APP, the federal minister acknowledged that the maintenance of locomotives and power plants had been neglected over the past nine to ten years. However, he emphasized that the current administration has successfully overcome these challenges.
According to the minister, the 43 American engines would be integrated into the system by September 30, while seven new power plants are being added monthly. This steady induction was set to resolve the shortage of coaches and restore rail operations to full capacity within the next six months.
Highlighting measures to ensure equality, Abbasi announced the historic eradication of the “VIP culture” within Pakistan Railways. Ban has been imposed on the utilization of luxury salons and VIP guest houses by top officials, including those designated for the Minister, Chairman, Chief Executive, and Inspector General (IG) of Railways.
These premium salons and rest house rooms have now been opened to the general public, who could access them at reasonable rental rates.
Discussing the department’s financial performance, the federal minister credited exceptional teamwork for steering the organization’s revenue to a record Rs 115 billion against a target of Rs 188 billion, despite limited resources and aging infrastructure.
Notably, the freight sector recorded a 27 percent growth despite a shortage of engines and wagons. Revenue from the freight sector has doubled from Rs 8,000 million to Rs 16,000 million, with plans to increase it further in the coming year.
Announcing a zero-tolerance policy against encroachments, the minister asserted that railway land worth billions of rupees across the country is being reclaimed in phases. He made it clear that no further encroachments would be tolerated, adding that all retrieved residential, commercial, and agricultural lands would be leased out by Pakistan Railways through open public auctions. In this regard, Peshawar Division officials have been summoned next week to finalize commercial plans for reclaimed lands in their region.
Regarding regional connectivity, the minister shared details of agreements signed with provincial governments to operate local trains. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa cabinet has approved local train operations on three routes, pending final approval from the federal cabinet.
Similarly, the Punjab government planned to run local trains on eight routes, while Sindh would operate them on three routes. Furthermore, the “Peoples Train” in Balochistan was scheduled for a grand launch on August 14, supported by a Rs 14 billion funding allocation from the Balochistan government.
