Pakistan Railways to utilize 10,913 acres barren land for projects

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways is all set to utilize its 10913 acres barren land across the country by executing various projects under public private partnership to earn more revenue for the department.

“The department owns 1,67,690 acres land all over the country, out of which 90326 in Punjab, 39428 in Sindh, 28228 in Balochistan and 9708 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told a state run wire service.

Regarding the barren land, he said that Pakistan Railways has 8424 acres barren land in Punjab, 1346 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 263 in Sindh and 880 in Balochistan.

He said that Pakistan Railways had leased out 15172 acres land for various purposes across the country and around 3330 acres land was under encroachments of different government departments and individual.

Pakistan Railways was using 1086 acres land for Railway Housing Societies in four provinces and 806 acres land was under the utilization of regular and non-regular Katchi Abadies, he added.

“Pakistan Railways has reserved 12808 acres land in four provinces for future operational use including 4364 acres in Punjab, 1800 acres in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 900 acres in Sindh and 5744 acres in Balochistan,” he said.

To a question, he said that Pakistan Railways has leased out around 6496 acres railway land across the country to different departments and private persons to generate extra revenue.

“The land was leased and licensed out for various purposes including premium shops, stacking, agricultural and parking stands etc,” he added.

Giving province wise breakup, he said that Pakistan Railways has leased out 5,132 acres in Punjab, 833 in Sindh, 470 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 59 acres in Balochistan.