Pakistan Railways (PR) will get 230 new passenger coaches by December 2022, Federal Minister for Railways and Aviation Saad Rafique told the media yesterday. According to details, these coaches will have several modern amenities and can travel at up to 160 kilometers per hour.
According to a PR spokesperson of Pakistan Railways, the department will initially procure 46 modern passenger coaches from China and produce 184 similar coaches at Carriage Factory Islamabad. Likewise, PR will initially import 200 cargo vans, and manufacture 620 vans locally.
The spokesperson added that each passenger coach will have 80 compartments for the economy and air-conditioned class, 30 parlor cars, and 20 vans each for luggage and braking.
Flood Induced Losses
A recent report revealed that PR has been bearing losses of around Rs. 100 million each day due to the relentless monsoon rains and the consequent floods all over the country.
A senior PR official stated that the rain and floods have destroyed several railway tracks, stalling operations and rendering several parts of the country inaccessible.
PR announced the suspension of operation of five express trains on the Main Line-1 (ML-1) a few days ago until the rehabilitation of tracks. The department has notified the passengers to visit their nearest PR office to seek refunds for their pre-booked tickets.
