Pakistan Railways is finalizing a plan to acquire 230 passenger coaches and 820 High Capacity Wagons as part of the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). This initiative aims to enhance the speed of trains and ensure punctuality in their schedules.
An official from the Ministry of Railways disclosed that out of the total, approximately 46 Completely-Built-Up (CBU) passenger coaches have already been procured, with the remaining 184 set to be manufactured domestically. These coaches are designed to operate at speeds of up to 160km/h.
Efforts are being maximized by Pakistan Railways to complete the rehabilitation and reconstruction of railway tracks, alongside improving the speed of locomotives to ensure timely transportation of passengers to their destinations.
The infrastructure enhancement spans from Karachi to Peshawar, with a focus on Main Line-I (ML-I) and the doubling of track from Lahore to Peshawar, covering a distance of 462.20 kilometers.
Highlighting the ambitious upgradation plans, the official mentioned that the track length of 1,726 kilometers is slated for speed improvement to 160 kilometers per hour under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
Procurement of rolling stock under this project will facilitate operation at 160 km/h speeds, with a dedicated fleet of 55 diesel-electric locomotives ranging from 4000-4500 HP for freight operations, enabling maximum haulage at higher speeds.
The official further elaborated that the implementation of the Computer Based Interlocking (CBI) system across 48 stations of ML-I will enhance signaling and interlocking capabilities, contributing to improved safety and speed of train operations.
Responding to inquiries, the official underscored Pakistan Railways’ vast organizational structure comprising around 63,000 employees spread across the nation. Employees benefit from various welfare activities, including extensive healthcare facilities, government accommodation allocation, staff benevolent funds, and incentives through the Prime Minister’s Family Assistance Package policy.
Additional amenities include provisions for disabled employees’ families, monthly grants for widows, establishment of primary and high schools, sports facilities, pick and drop services, water filtration plants installation, and special medical seat provisions in Riphah Islamic Universities with reduced admission fees.
