The federal government has announced that its ongoing project to convert 155 railway stations across Pakistan to solar energy is expected to save the national exchequer millions of rupees.
This development was revealed during a high-level meeting held on Wednesday at the Prime Minister’s House in Islamabad, according to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO).
Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi briefed the Prime Minister on the ongoing reforms within Pakistan Railways during the meeting.
The PM was told that several erstwhile suspended services have been reinstated. The Bolan Mail has recently resumed operations as a daily service, while the Dera Ghazi Khan and Khushhal Khan Khattak Express trains have also been restored.
It was further noted that outsourcing is underway for concrete sleeper factories located in Sukkur, Khanewal, and Kohat.
Moreover, railway hospitals, schools, colleges, and rest houses in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, and Sukkur are being outsourced under a revenue-sharing model.
The meeting was also informed that the Royal Palm Golf and Country Club in Lahore is being auctioned, and the site is being considered for the development of a five-star hotel.
As part of the modernization of the railway system, efforts to accelerate digitalization are actively underway. The reorganization of the IT Directorate of Pakistan Railways is progressing rapidly.
Several affiliated entities, including Pakistan Railway Advisory and Consultancy Services, Railcop, Pakistan Railways Freight Transport Company, and the Project Implementation Unit, have been dissolved. Additionally, railway land worth Rs10 billion has been recovered.
