LAHORE: The Pakistan Railways (PR) has been facing serious issues in ensuring smooth trains operation across the country as a major chunk of its rolling stock has become overage, with 58 percent of the entire locomotive fleet completing its functional lifespan, and 74pc of passenger coaches and 56pc of goods wagons turning old, Dawn has learnt.

“The situation has become very serious as a large number of locomotives, coaches, and wagons have completed their lifespan. The government must pay attention to the deteriorating rolling stock andallocate adequate funds for the purpose in the public sector development programme,” an official source in the railways ministry said while talking to Dawn on Sunday. “The government must help the railways that provides traveling and freight facilities to a huge population at nominal prices,” he said.

According to a document available with Dawn, the department has to often defer maintenance of its rolling stock because of low budget allocation, unavailability of foreign exchange and delayed letter of credits (LCs). Such factors cause prolonged delays in the material supplies to the wings concerned.

Besides, the document shows that the capacity and condition of the Lahore and Karachi washing lines are deteriorating fast, as the plants and machinery have outlived their utility. They also point out the 30 per cent shortage of supervisors and workers in loco-sheds and workshops, besides an aging workforce. The theft of material is yet another issue plaguing the organisation, the document shows.

As per the document, the PR has a total 445 locomotives of various companies and specifications, out of which 125 are completely out of order. The remaining 320 include 196 overage locomotives. Of the 445 locomotives, 148 (manufactured by General Electric Transportation, USA) are of 4,000, 3,000 and 1,500 and below Horse Power (HP). The 110 locomotives (manufactured by Progress Rail USA Electro Motive Division) are of 3,000HP and 1,500HP, while 56 made by Hitachi (Japan) are of 2,000 and 2,400 HP. It has 69 locomotives manufactured by Dalian Company (China) having 3,000,2,000 and 2,400 HP, whereas 62 manufactured by Ziyang (China) have 2,000, 2,400 and 1,500 HP.

The document mentions that 100 locomotives are currently engaged in local and express trains operation, followed by 80 allocated for freight train operation, while 50 locomotives are engaged in shunting services and 10 others for miscellaneous services.

The PR took steps to reduce incidences of postponing locomotives’ maintenance by signing a Direct Rate Contract (DRC) worth Rs1 billion with OEM Wabtec Corporation, USA, to supply cards for full traction motors complement. The PR also entered another DRC worth Rs200 million with New York Air Brake, USA, for overhauling of air brakes of its locomotives. For parts procurement, a contract worth Rs2.3 billion has been finalised with CRRC-Ziyang China for Phase 1, in-frame overhauling (1.2m kilometer) of 20-ZCU locomotives. Locomotives’ parts procurement as per Annual Procurement Plan has also been finalised for their proper maintenance, the document shows.

The documents further disclose that the contract for modernisation of 15 AGE-30 locomotives’ parts shipment has been finalized and this work is expected to be complete by June 2027.

“The special repairs of 82 locomotives was also carried out, while the repair of the remaining three GMU-30 locos will be done in a month or so. The revision of the PC-1 worth Rs16.171 billion to deal with various operational issues is currently with ECNEC after being forwarded by the central development working party,” the document reads.

The PR’s ongoing projects include procurement and manufacturing of 230 new-design high-speed passenger carriages, 800 high-capacity wagons, 20 bogie brake vans and conversion of the existing brake system to a dual brake system.

The future projects include Rs2.28bn modernisation and upgrade of Maintenance & Repair facilities at carriage and wagon shops at Mughalpura Workshops, Rs45bn indigenous local manufacturing of 300 passenger coaches for replacement of old German stock and Rs12bn project of indigenous manufacturing of 1,000 high-capacity wagons for replacement of old rolling stock.

“The government should invest in railways so the department could resolve the operational issues,” the official said.

Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi said he will take up the issue during his next visit to Lahore.

Published in Dawn, April 28th, 2025