Pakistan Railways hands over Mehran Express to private sector

KARACHI: Pakistan Railways handed over one more passenger train, Karachi-Mirpur Khas Mehran Express, to a private firm under its public-private partnership plan, ARY News reported on Monday.

A ceremony was organised at Karachi’s City Station prior to the departure of Mehran Express where the operations of the ‏passenger train were formally handed over to the private firm.

Under the agreement, the private firm will pay Rs90 million annually to the Pakistan Railways to run Mehran Express consisting of seven coaches with the capacity of 630 passengers.

DS Railways Muhammad Hanif Gul said that the passenger train will cover a 250-kilometre distance with eight stops between Karachi and Mirpur Khan within four hours. During the ceremony, DS Railways presented a bouquet to the driver and assistant driver before the departure of the train.

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Earlier in October last year, the Pakistan Railways had decided to outsource commercial management of eight passenger trains to the private sector in order to provide better passenger facilitation to the travellers

The railway department had also sought proposals from the private sector for the outsourcing of commercial management of the passenger trains. In a statement, the spokesperson of the railway department said that eight passenger trains were being privatised.

The trains include Karachi-Rawalpindi Sir Syed Express, Karachi-Havelian Hazara Express, Karachi-Lahore Shalimar Express, Lahore-Mari Indus Mianwali Express, Lahore-Sialkot Narowal Passenger, Karachi-Mirpur Khas Mehran Express, Lahore-Multan Moenjo Daro Express and Lahore-Multan Badar Express.

Under the privatisation plan, the trains’ staff will be managed by the private sector, however, locomotives, bogies, technical assistance and fuel will be provided by the railway management.