AZADPAKISTAN2009
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Govt plans Rs 194.747bn strategy for PRs revival
(Approximately 2 billion USD)
Reference:
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
Note: At present Pakistan has only 8 trains running while in 2007 we
had 47 trains operating making profits - perhaps PPP gov should be accountable for neglect
ISLAMABAD: The government has planned a comprehensive strategy for revival of Pakistan Railways (PR) in the next three years with total spending of Rs 194.747 billion for the maintenance of rolling stock, infrastructure development and improving reliability.
According to the Medium-Term Budget Estimates for Service Delivery 2011-14, an amount of Rs 60 billion would be required in the year 2011-12 for improvement in PR while Rs 64.588 billion, and Rs 70.169 billion will be required in 2012-12 and 2013-14, respectively.
The budget estimates revealed that PR is confronting financial crises as its expenditure for the year 2008-09 was Rs 46 billion against earning of Rs 23 billion, resulting in a shortfall of Rs 23 billion. A subsidiary of about Rs 9 billion was provided by the government to cover the gap but remaining Rs 14 billion was met through borrowing from State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). PRs slab for overdraft from SBP was frozen at Rs 35 billion to exercise control over expenditure, which resulted into deterioration of services due to short supply of fuel, spares, maintenance and dissatisfaction in staff due to delay in payments like salary, GP fund, advances, and TA etc. The increase in fuel prices, labour wages, pension and non-increase in fares has adversely affected the cash flow of PR. Payments to contractors for supply of material were delayed resulting in non-supply of material in time.
The law and order situation in the country has badly affected the movement patron for passenger traffic, exports and imports, effecting the freight movement as well. PR has tried to bridge the gap by concentrating on the freight traffic and reduction in turn round time of freight trains.
Private sector has also been encouraged to run cargo trains by attracting freight traffic through rail.
PR is a capital intensive department where a lot of capital is required for the improvement, which cannot be arranged through resources of government and private sector is being encouraged to bring their rolling stock to run trains by paying track access charges. Maintenance of rolling stock and infrastructure is being outsourced to improve its reliability. Sale and checking of tickets in trains is being outsourced to reduce ticket-less travelling on branch line to improve revenue of PR.
Maximum emphasis is being paid to run freight trains particularly oil trains from Karachi to increase revenue. Efforts are being made to increase the average speed of trains to reduce the turn round time, improving the availability of rolling stock for reloading. High capacity wagons and computer-based interlocking with auto block system are being introduced to increase the line capacity and safety of trains. Doubling of track is being stressed to reduce journey time in addition to introduction of mechanised maintenance.
PR is constantly striving to make the organisation commercially viable by providing economical, safe and environment-friendly mode of transportation for passengers and bulk movement of cargo over long distances. To achieve this objective, efforts are being made to transform railways into a more responsive organisation so as to meet public needs, provide safe journey, operate efficiently, maximise earning and exercise control on expenditures. To further enhance passengers and freight traffic, PR has engineered development and improvement in infrastructure, upgradation and dualisation of railways track and installation of modern signalling system.
The progress in this regard is doubling of track between Lodhaarran-Khanewal [121 kilometres (km)] has been completed and work on doubling of track (246 km) from Khanewal to Raiwind is under process. Doubling of track from Khanewal to Sahiwal has been completed during the current financial year and opened for traffic. The remaining portion of the project for doubling of track from Sahiwal to Raiwind will be completed during 2011-12. To ensure availability of locomotives for train operations, an agreement of procurement and manufacturing of 75 diesel electric locomotives was signed with a Chinese manufacturer but the case is sub-judiced in the Lahore High Court.
PR has entered into a private partnership to boost its economic growth and infrastructure development. PR is concentrating on freight traffic to increase its share in freight sector. Four-wheeler slow moving wagons are being introduced to increase average speed, resulting in reduction of turn round time of freight trains.
(Approximately 2 billion USD)
Reference:
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
Note: At present Pakistan has only 8 trains running while in 2007 we
had 47 trains operating making profits - perhaps PPP gov should be accountable for neglect
ISLAMABAD: The government has planned a comprehensive strategy for revival of Pakistan Railways (PR) in the next three years with total spending of Rs 194.747 billion for the maintenance of rolling stock, infrastructure development and improving reliability.
According to the Medium-Term Budget Estimates for Service Delivery 2011-14, an amount of Rs 60 billion would be required in the year 2011-12 for improvement in PR while Rs 64.588 billion, and Rs 70.169 billion will be required in 2012-12 and 2013-14, respectively.
The budget estimates revealed that PR is confronting financial crises as its expenditure for the year 2008-09 was Rs 46 billion against earning of Rs 23 billion, resulting in a shortfall of Rs 23 billion. A subsidiary of about Rs 9 billion was provided by the government to cover the gap but remaining Rs 14 billion was met through borrowing from State Bank of Pakistan (SBP). PRs slab for overdraft from SBP was frozen at Rs 35 billion to exercise control over expenditure, which resulted into deterioration of services due to short supply of fuel, spares, maintenance and dissatisfaction in staff due to delay in payments like salary, GP fund, advances, and TA etc. The increase in fuel prices, labour wages, pension and non-increase in fares has adversely affected the cash flow of PR. Payments to contractors for supply of material were delayed resulting in non-supply of material in time.
The law and order situation in the country has badly affected the movement patron for passenger traffic, exports and imports, effecting the freight movement as well. PR has tried to bridge the gap by concentrating on the freight traffic and reduction in turn round time of freight trains.
Private sector has also been encouraged to run cargo trains by attracting freight traffic through rail.
PR is a capital intensive department where a lot of capital is required for the improvement, which cannot be arranged through resources of government and private sector is being encouraged to bring their rolling stock to run trains by paying track access charges. Maintenance of rolling stock and infrastructure is being outsourced to improve its reliability. Sale and checking of tickets in trains is being outsourced to reduce ticket-less travelling on branch line to improve revenue of PR.
Maximum emphasis is being paid to run freight trains particularly oil trains from Karachi to increase revenue. Efforts are being made to increase the average speed of trains to reduce the turn round time, improving the availability of rolling stock for reloading. High capacity wagons and computer-based interlocking with auto block system are being introduced to increase the line capacity and safety of trains. Doubling of track is being stressed to reduce journey time in addition to introduction of mechanised maintenance.
PR is constantly striving to make the organisation commercially viable by providing economical, safe and environment-friendly mode of transportation for passengers and bulk movement of cargo over long distances. To achieve this objective, efforts are being made to transform railways into a more responsive organisation so as to meet public needs, provide safe journey, operate efficiently, maximise earning and exercise control on expenditures. To further enhance passengers and freight traffic, PR has engineered development and improvement in infrastructure, upgradation and dualisation of railways track and installation of modern signalling system.
The progress in this regard is doubling of track between Lodhaarran-Khanewal [121 kilometres (km)] has been completed and work on doubling of track (246 km) from Khanewal to Raiwind is under process. Doubling of track from Khanewal to Sahiwal has been completed during the current financial year and opened for traffic. The remaining portion of the project for doubling of track from Sahiwal to Raiwind will be completed during 2011-12. To ensure availability of locomotives for train operations, an agreement of procurement and manufacturing of 75 diesel electric locomotives was signed with a Chinese manufacturer but the case is sub-judiced in the Lahore High Court.
PR has entered into a private partnership to boost its economic growth and infrastructure development. PR is concentrating on freight traffic to increase its share in freight sector. Four-wheeler slow moving wagons are being introduced to increase average speed, resulting in reduction of turn round time of freight trains.