Under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP), Pakistan Railways plans to purchase 230 passenger coaches and 820 High Capacity Wagons in an effort to increase train speed and guarantee adherence to predetermined schedules.
An official at the Ministry of Railways stated that, of the total, about 46 Completely-Built-Up (CBU) passenger coaches have already been purchased. The remaining 184, however, will be produced domestically, and the couches will be able to move at a speed of 160 km/h.
In order to improve the speed of the locomotives and ensure that passengers arrive at their destinations on time, he continued, Pakistan Railways is making every effort to finish the track’s restoration and reconstruction work.
He stated that the infrastructure was also being updated, including the track and signaling system from Karachi to Peshawar, Main Line-I (ML-I), and the doubling of the track from Lahore to Peshawar (462.20 km).
The department has planned to increase speed up to 160 km/h in the project of upgrading ML-I under the China-Pak Economic Corridor (CPEC), the official stated, noting that the track’s length was 1,726 kilometers.
He said that while the department has a designated fleet of 55 diesel-electric locomotives with a combined horsepower of 4000–4500 HP for freight operation to accommodate maximum hauling at greater speeds, the rolling stock being purchased under this project would be capable of running at a speed of 160 km/h.
“The Computer Based Interlocking (CBI) system is installed on 48 stations of the ML-I, to improve signaling and interlocking for higher speed and safety of train operation,” the official continued.
In response to a query, he stated that Pakistan Railways was a sizable company with some 63,000 people, and that its network covered the entire nation.
According to the official, the personnel were taken care of thanks to various welfare programs, including healthcare services provided by a comprehensive network of hospitals, dispensaries, and child healthcare facilities.
He said that these facilities included the provision of government housing in accordance with entitlement and priority lists, staff benevolence funds, benefits, and incentives offered through the Prime Minister’s Family Assistance Package program for the families of deceased employees.
The establishment of primary and high schools, industrial schools to teach handicrafts, sports activities, pick-up and drop-off facilities for schools and offices, water filtering plants, a special provision of five medical seats in Riphah Islamic Universities with a reduction of 50% in admission and tuition, and monthly grants to widows scale-wise were among the other facilities.