LAHORE, June 6: Acute shortage of locomotives has started affecting the operations of Business Express, putting the future of the first joint venture of the Pakistan Railways under private-public partnership in jeopardy.

A recent incident involving failure of locomotive again caused embarrassment for the company operating Business Express between Lahore and Karachi as more than 50 per cent of the passengers of the train got their tickets refunded.

The company had complained a fortnight ago about provision of damaged power plant the failure of which angered passengers because they had to be shifted and adjusted on vacant seats in other coaches along with luggage during the journey.

A source in the railways headquarters in Lahore told Dawn on Wednesday that the representatives of M/S Four Brothers International were rather annoyed over 30-minute late provision of locomotive for Karachi-bound Business Express that developed a fault at Khanewal.

Quoting the Four Brothers people, the source said instead of providing a ‘fit’ locomotive, another ‘inoperative’ one was attached with the train that too stopped hauling at Rohri. After four hours and 55 minutes, the locomotive was made operational but it again failed between Sitharja and Mehrabpur station.

At last, the train was amalgamated with Lahore-bound Karachi Express which reached destination at 6pm instead of its scheduled time of 9.35am on May 27.

The Karachi-bound passengers at the Lahore station were much annoyed owing to late departure of Business Express – more than 50 per cent of them got their tickets refunded and opted for Karakoram and Karachi expresses which were available at platforms.

“Shortfall in earning owing to failure of locomotive is irreparable as well as unaffordable. Such a state of affairs has compelled us to claim the losses/damages in due course of time,” said the source while quoting the Four Brothers people who were annoyed over the receipt of a notice from the railway authorities regarding clearance of dues.

Railways Lahore Divisional Officer Tariq Anwar Sipra through a notice (No 162-CG/0I/20I2 dated 05.06.2012) directed the contractor of Business Express to pay the outstanding fares of Rs154,547,366 accumulated up to 05.06.2012 besides rental charges of Rs685,300.