Pakistan Railways to hand over eight trains to private sector

KARACHI: The Pakistan Railways decided to outsource commercial management of eight passenger trains to the private sector in order to provide better passenger facilitation to the travellers, ARY News reported on Sunday.

The railway department 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 are 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.

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It emerged that proposals have been sought for three routes for Moenjo Daro Express passenger train including Karachi-Multan en route Jacobabad, Kotri-Multan en route Jacobabad and Kotri-Sukkur en route Dadu.

A pre-bid conference was also organised at Pakistan Railways’ headquarters in Lahore for the privatisation of the passenger trains, whereas, tender documents will be issued by the higher officials.

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The department will accept technical proposals till November 13 which will be opened on the same day.

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.

Earlier on Saturday, Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed had announced that eight more trains would be privatised from November 12, besides revival of rail car running between Lahore-Rawalpindi from November 30.

Addressing a press conference at PR Headquarters here on Saturday, he had said the rail car will run between Lahore to Rawalpindi and Rawalpindi to Lahore at 4:30 pm. The minister had said,” I want private parties to come forward and run their freight trains using the railway’s infrastructure and properties. Railways had given four freight trains to private parties under the public-private partnership.”

He had also announced that online booking of freight trains had been started to stop irregularities in this regard.