Pakistan Railways (PR) has so far leased around 14,087 acres of non-operational land through competitive and non-competitive processes, generating Rs 16,957 million during the last five financial years.
\n\u201cAt present, non-operational railway land is leased in accordance with Para-807-E of the Railway Engineering Code to generate revenue through commercial use,\u201d an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
\nHe said the department has owned 168,858 acres of land across the country and planned to integrate its land assets with the National Rail Land Development Project (NRLDP) under a structured public-private partnership (PPP) framework to ensure optimal and systematic utilization of its land bank.
\nTo further enhance revenue generation and transparency, he said that Pakistan Railways proposes to align all identified land parcels particularly those located along main corridors, stations, yards, workshops and urban interfaces with the NRLDP master plan.
\n\u201cUnder the proposed framework, he said the department\u2019s land will be systematically mapped, categorized and integrated to ensure coherence, transparency and maximum value creation,\u201d he added.
\nHe said the plan envisages strategic zoning of railway land into core operational, support and surplus commercial categories, with only non-essential land being offered for commercial development.<\/p>\n
The official said the commercialization will be carried out through various PPP instruments, including long-term leasing, concessions, joint ventures and revenue-sharing arrangements.
\nHe emphasized that ownership of the land will remain with Pakistan Railways, while private partners will bring in capital, technical expertise and operational efficiency.
\n\u201cThe revenue generated under the NRLDP will be ring-fenced to support railway operations, including track maintenance, rolling stock renewal, safety improvements and service enhancement, thereby reducing reliance on federal subsidies,\u201d he said.
\nThe official said the centralized governance and monitoring mechanism under the NRLDP will standardize land valuation, bidding and contracting processes, ensure transparency through competitive bidding and independent audits and mitigate risks through appropriate PPP risk-sharing structures.
\nIn addition to revenue generation, he said the integration of land assets with the NRLDP is expected to help prevent encroachments, promote planned urban development, improve passenger facilities around railway stations and stimulate local economic activity.
\nHe said that by aligning the commercial utilization of its land with the NRLDP under a robust PPP framework, Pakistan Railways aims to convert its extensive land assets into a sustainable and recurring source of income while safeguarding its core operational mandate.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Pakistan Railways (PR) has so far leased around 14,087 acres of non-operational land through competitive and non-competitive processes, generating Rs 16,957 million during the last five financial years. \u201cAt present, non-operational railway land is leased in accordance with Para-807-E of the Railway Engineering Code to generate revenue through commercial use,\u201d an official in the Ministry […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":385604,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-528354","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-national"},"yoast_head":"\n