ISLAMABAD, Feb 8: Railways minister Ghous Bux Khan Mahar has indicated that the railways would be converted into a corporation by June.

In an interview, he said the government, in collaboration with the private sector, would initiate mass train projects in Karachi and Lahore this year. A study in this regard was being carried out which would be submitted before March, he said.

He said he had directed the railway officials to present proposals for doubling the track from Peshawar to Karachi.

Stressing the need to run short-distance fast trains, he said there was a proposal to increase the speed of trains plying on various routes, including Rawalpindi-Lahore and Faisalabad-Lahore. “There is an effort to reduce journey time of Rawalpindi-Lahore express by an hour,” he said.

Replying to a question, he said the earning of the railways during the current financial year up to January was Rs7.432 billion, which was Rs755 million more as compared to the corresponding period of the last year.

He said the upgrading of railways was going on and 27th rehabilitated locomotive had been rolled out under a project for improving locomotives.

The railways would induct 150 new diesel locomotives, 500 freight wagons, each having a capacity of 60 tons, and 400 new air-conditioned passenger coaches, he said.

He said the repair of dilapidated track machines was being done locally to save foreign exchange. New coaches were being built with the cooperation of China, he said.

He said the work on Lodhran-Khanewal section would be completed during this month.

The minister claimed: “Our railways system is better than many countries, including Iran, Turkey, India, Malaysia and Kenya.”

He said there were foreign investment opportunities in the railways sector, particularly in the replacement of railway tracks and purchase of diesel locomotives, freight wagons and passengers coaches.—APP