LAHORE, Pakistan: The Federal Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique on Saturday inaugurated the rehabilitated diesel locomotive and new Hopper wagons at Lahore Railway Station.
While speaking on the occasion, he said that it is a historic day for the railways that rehabilitated locomotive will be used for a freight train.
The minister said that 780 latest Hopper wagons would be used for transportation of coal. He said that 200 wagons had come from China while 580 would be manufactured in the country out of this 40 had been made while 60 more would be made till March.
The railways minister said that Hopper wagons had a capacity of carrying 17 tonnes of coal while it could unload coal within 30 seconds.
Saad Rafique said that the locomotive which had been rehabilitated was an old project which had been lingering but this project started again and the locomotive was rehabilitated with a cost of over Rs 220 million and its age increased to 15 years. He said that freight train capacity had increased to 3400 tonnes.
The minister said that the Sahiwal Coal Power Project was about to start and with this project Pakistan Railways would earn about Rs 5 to 6 billion annually.
Later talking to the media, he said irregularity at top level in railways had been controlled.
Saad Rafique said that increase in salaries of Pakistan Railway Police would be made, adding that performance of railways had improved a lot.
The minister said that no contract in the department had been made on political basis, adding that merit and transparency were being ensured in all matters.
