Thirty Two (32) locomotives have been received in Pakistan while remaining 23 Nos are in transit and expected to reach Karachi by end of July, 2017. Five (05) Nos of D.E locomotives of 3000 HP have been manufactured / assembled by Risalpur Locomotive Factory during the last five years.
Parliamentary Secretary for Railways Syed Muhammad Ashiq Hussain Shah told the House during question hour that that 32 locomotives have been received while remaining 23 are in transit and expected to reach Karachi by end of July this year. He said that main track from Karachi to Peshawar will be upgraded under the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project.
The double line track on Karachi-Peshawar main line existed only between Karachi-Lodhran (843 kms) and Raiwind-Lahore (47 Km) at the time of independence. The track between Lodhran Raiwind has now been dualized and formally opened for traffic on 09-01-2016. The dualization of track from Shandra to Peshawar (455 Km) is included in up-gradation of Main Line-I (ML-I) project under the CPEC. The following important cities fall on the track being dualized under this project: Gujranwala, Wazirabad, Gujrat, Lala Musa, Jhelum, Rawalpindi, Attock City, Nowshera and Peshawar. The completion period of the project is five (05) years (2017 to 2021) subject to singing of Inter-governmental Framework Agreement.
The House was further informed that Pakistan Railways has not privatized any passenger train since 01-012012. However, Pakistan Railways has outsourced the commercial management of four trains under Public Private Partnership to private sector parties under PPRA-Rules, 2004 through competitive, fair and transparent bidding process. Pakistan Railways is getting revenue of Rs 4416.842 million per annum of Rs 368.070 million per month from the four trains, which was Rs 1761 million earlier.
Minister of State for Capital Administration and Development Division Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary informed the House that the Prime Minister's Education Reforms programme in the federal capital is being executed as per the timeframe.
He said that three billion rupees are required for the up gradation of remaining 200 public sector schools in the capital territory which is likely to be released by December 2017. The Minister of State said that Cardiac Surgery Centre is being upgraded at the Capital Hospital.
Responding to a question, the minister said that 95 posts have been sanctioned in Liver Transplant Centre PIMS, Islamabad. 57 persons were appointed against these posts. It is stated that liver transplant is a multi-disciplinary specialty. The liver transplant team comprises of Interventional Radiologist, Liver Anaesthetist, Liver Intensivist, Per-fusionist and Liver transplant surgeon etc.
He said that equipment for the centre has been purchased and recruitment of human resource is under process which will be completed in next six months. To a question, Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Marriyum Aurangzeb told the House that PTV booster project for Buner will be completed by December this year. She said the project faced delays mainly due to land dispute, late revision of PC-I and law and order situation in the area.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017