Saad Rafique Inaugurates Rehabilitated Locomotive

LAHORE, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 24th Dec, 2016 ) : Minister for Railways Khawaja Saad Rafique has said it is a historic day for the railways that rehabilitated locomotive will be used for a freight train.

The minister inaugurated the rehabilitated diesel locomotive and new Hopper wagons here at Railway Station on Saturday. Speaking on the occasion, he said 780 latest Hopper wagons would be used for transportation of coal.

He added 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 minister said Hopper wagons had a capacity of carrying 17 tonnes of coal while it could unload coal within 30 seconds.

Saad Rafique said the locomotive which had been rehabilitated was a 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 freight train capacity had increased to 3400 tonnes. The minister said 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. He said increase in salaries of Pakistan Railway Police would be made, adding that performance of railways had improved a lot. The minister said no contract in the department had been made on political basis, adding that merit and transparency were being ensured in all matters.