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Railways needs $35 billion for complete uplift,

ghazi52

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Railways needs $35 billion for complete uplift,


LAHORE: Cash-strapped Pakistan Railways is likely to continue facing financial woes even after CPEC pours investments and upgrades to the tune of $10 billion to its infrastructure.

The blunt admission of how poor the state currently is came from federal minister Khawaja Saad Rafique who said that even $10 billion would be insufficient for an organisation as big as Pakistan Railways.

Rafique said that Railways needs $30 to $35 billion – approximately 10% of Pakistan’s economy – to upgrade its entire ecosystem and bring it at par with railway networks of developed countries.

“Previous governments failed to upgrade the railways network,” said Minister of Railways Rafique during a press conference on Thursday. “In fact, people looted the most out of this sector.”

A recent agreement under CPEC promises improvement in the railways infrastructure around ML-1, but Rafique, who has held this portfolio since 2013, said a revamp of the entire organisation needed around $35 billion. “And the cost will increase each passing day,” he added.

He said that currently, Railways is a 157-year old corporation on technology that is 100 years old. However, with the recent agreements under CPEC, improvements in railways infrastructure will be seen.

Pakistan Railways has signed a frame work agreement with the Chinese ministry of transport to upgrade ML-1, covering Karachi-Peshawar track. The cost of this project is estimated at around $10 billion and it includes doubling the entire track for faster transportation of passenger as well as goods trains. The existing speed of trains on ML-1 stands in between 60km/h to 120km/h, which, after up gradation, will run in-between 120km/h to 160km/h.

Other than up-gradation; the project includes renovation of Karachi cantonment and Lahore railways stations as per international standards, construction of walls on populous areas along the track, fixing the issues of un-manned level crossings, up-gradation of rolling stock which includes locomotives, as well as freight coaches, construction of Havelian terminal and up-gradation of Walton academy.

China will also construct mass transit railways network in metropolitan cities of the four provinces.

Rafique added that the Asian Development Bank has agreed to grant a long-term concessional loan to railways to open another 11 lines, which will be built on the Built-Operate-Transfer mode.

“After signing these agreements, the next step for us is to wait for financial closures, we will try our best that the interest rates do not go above 2%,” Rafique said.

“Timeline of this project is from five to six years, and once completed it will bring positive results in railways network and ultimately, to the overall economy,” he added.

Rafique said growth in revenues is not enough to transform Pakistan Railways. “We have managed to earn Rs36 billion in the last fiscal year. But one needs to understand that 74% of revenue goes to financing salary and pension expenditures. Around 15.75% is spent on fuel and the residual has to manage all other expenses.”
 
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Incorrect !!!

Locomotive is sold for 2.5 million in Market (Top of line airconditioned)

  • 5 Billion USD Dollars = 2,000 Brand new Locomotives

Railways is 100% revived

How many Locomotives Pakistan imports 20-30 now and then quite pathetic figure
  • After a 1 time boost in Locomotives , the platforms and stations can be revived provincially by provincial budgets
  • We have labourers that can clean , install tiles or refurnish the stations.


Pakistan wastes all the funding on making useless tracks all over place and does not have sufficient Locomotives to run effectively on these tracks


A train GPS system might have to get purchased that tracks location of trains by GPS so accidents can be prevented may cost 20 million USD to 30 million USD


With out Locomotives the INFRASTRUCTURE investment = USELESS only contractors making $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  • GET LOCOMOTIVES WORRY ABOUT TRACKS LATER

With 2,000 New Locomotives , and Freight + Train service the company will start making surplus revenue. To start balancing its budget and fixing the tracks with it's own funding

Building tracks with no LocomotIves = STUPID
 
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sir you know why pml n is concentrating more on railway then any other department because of its land all over the country specially in Punjab and the crown jewel of all the land is in lahore .. and right now the land prices in lahore are on fire so these lot will show the patwari magic and lease it out for cheap or sell it for pennies .thats why they tried to take the royal palm golf club back too .
if they need to raise capital they can easily do it buy just leasing the land they own properly but they wont
 
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Incorrect !!!

Locomotive is sold for 2.5 million in Market (Top of line airconditioned)

  • 5 Billion USD Dollars = 2,000 Brand new Locomotives

Railways is 100% revived

How many Locomotives Pakistan imports 20-30 now and then quite pathetic figure
  • After a 1 time boost in Locomotives , the platforms and stations can be revived provincially by provincial budgets
  • We have labourers that can clean , install tiles or refurnish the stations.


Pakistan wastes all the funding on making useless tracks all over place and does not have sufficient Locomotives to run effectively on these tracks


A train GPS system might have to get purchased that tracks location of trains by GPS so accidents can be prevented may cost 20 million USD to 30 million USD


With out Locomotives the INFRASTRUCTURE investment = USELESS only contractors making $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  • GET LOCOMOTIVES WORRY ABOUT TRACKS LATER

With 2,000 New Locomotives , and Freight + Train service the company will start making surplus revenue. To start balancing its budget and fixing the tracks with it's own funding

Building tracks with no LocomotIves = STUPID

If you don't have the Tracks on what you'll run those 2000 Locomotives?? Water??

Everyday the Trains are derailing because of centuries old track..
 
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We have existing Tracks that run 1-2 Trains, and we have tracks in Local Cities not used for running Local Train service

We have stupid train accidents becasue no one is SMART enough to figure out installing a simple GPS unit on the trains , so it will send signal to Command center on location of train geograpically in Pakistan. And you can just use a Sattelite phone to inform Train manager if there is a broken down train in front

> Build track , Build Tracks .....
> What will run on it .....................NOTHING as there are no train

The existing tracks are used only 1-2% only

Look the core of problem is

"PEOPLE WANT FREE LOADING SALARIES" there is no business due to lack of Locomotives but every one wants their FULL perks and salaries"



2004 : We will build track from xyz to abc ~ but we got no Locomotives
2005 : We will build track from Gawadar to xyz ~ but we got no Locomotives
2006 : We will make track from Pakistan to Turkey ~ but we got no Locomotives
2007 : We will run train to solve transport issues in cities ~ but we got no Locomotives
2008 : We will double the track across the regions ~ but we got no Locomotivs
2009 : We will Tripple the track across the region and run a nice shortcut ~ but we got no Locomotives
2010: We plan to run a track in remotest part of Pakistan ~ but we got no Locomotives
2011 : Gawadar rail track will connect major cities of Pakistan ~ but we got no Locomotives
2012 : Strategist in Pakistan want to make a train track from Pakistan , Middle east to Turkey ~ but we got no Locomotives
2013 : People think due to all the tracks being 100 year old technology we can't get new trains ~ by the way we still got no Locomotives
2014: Ok we will get 20-30 Locomotievs but these are for private business
2015: More tracks are needed by Pakistan railways to connect people but we have no Locomotives
2016 : We can make track from Pakistan to central Asia but we got no Locomotives

v1.jpgecddc68a-7455-4b52-945f-a23ce171ea5dLarge.jpg



Simple formula

2000-3000 Locomotives
> Cheaper freight to transport goods
> Less trucks on roads and less traffic jams
> Cheaper price of food products locally due to cheaper goods transportation



c9221ee4662a0af1f1e07dbeb6a1b0fe.jpg


Tracks to no where !!!!!!!! Going no where transporting zero goods and transporting zero people

That is the failed Pakistani Railway Management

  • Waste money with tracks because that makes you CONTRACTOR money for building


EASY MONEY = BUILD USELSSS TRAIN TRACK ... and collect $$$$$$ from Government of Pakistan (PAY CUT)


Lets look at STUPID leadership

> We will take "LOANS" and for which Pakistan will Pay INTREST , however we will never order 2000, 3000 Locomotives

  • Money is always available for tracks but never to buy Locomotives and improveing Engineering effciency
 
Last edited:
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We have existing Tracks that run 1-2 Trains, and we have tracks in Local Cities not used for running Local Train service

We have stupid train accidents becasue no one is SMART enough to figure out installing a simple GPS unit on the trains , so it will send signal to Command center on location of train geograpically in Pakistan. And you can just use a Sattelite phone to inform Train manager if there is a broken down train in front

> Build track , Build Tracks .....
> What will run on it .....................NOTHING as there are no train

The existing tracks are used only 1-2% only

Look the core of problem is

"PEOPLE WANT FREE LOADING SALARIES" there is no business due to lack of Locomotives but every one wants their FULL perks and salaries"



2004 : We will build track from xyz to abc ~ but we got no Locomotives
2005 : We will build track from Gawadar to xyz ~ but we got no Locomotives
2006 : We will make track from Pakistan to Turkey ~ but we got no Locomotives
2007 : We will run train to solve transport issues in cities ~ but we got no Locomotives
2008 : We will double the track across the regions ~ but we got no Locomotivs
2009 : We will Tripple the track across the region and run a nice shortcut ~ but we got no Locomotives
2010: We plan to run a track in remotest part of Pakistan ~ but we got no Locomotives
2011 : Gawadar rail track will connect major cities of Pakistan ~ but we got no Locomotives
2012 : Strategist in Pakistan want to make a train track from Pakistan , Middle east to Turkey ~ but we got no Locomotives
2013 : People think due to all the tracks being 100 year old technology we can't get new trains ~ by the way we still got no Locomotives
2014: Ok we will get 20-30 Locomotievs but these are for private business
2015: More tracks are needed by Pakistan railways to connect people but we have no Locomotives
2016 : We can make track from Pakistan to central Asia but we got no Locomotives

v1.jpgecddc68a-7455-4b52-945f-a23ce171ea5dLarge.jpg



Simple formula

2000-3000 Locomotives
> Cheaper freight to transport goods
> Less trucks on roads and less traffic jams
> Cheaper price of food products locally due to cheaper goods transportation



c9221ee4662a0af1f1e07dbeb6a1b0fe.jpg


Tracks to no where !!!!!!!! Going no where transporting zero goods and transporting zero people

That is the failed Pakistani Railway Management

  • Waste money with tracks because that makes you CONTRACTOR money for building


EASY MONEY = BUILD USELSSS TRAIN TRACK ... and collect $$$$$$ from Government of Pakistan (PAY CUT)


Lets look at STUPID leadership

> We will take "LOANS" and for which Pakistan will Pay INTREST , however we will never order 2000, 3000 Locomotives

  • Money is always available for tracks but never to buy Locomotives and improveing Engineering effciency

You are obviously correct.

Even in India, we signed the contracts for 2800 American and French locomotives for the freight corridors that are yet to come up.

http://www.dnaindia.com/money/repor...indian-railways-set-up-plant-in-bihar-2143977

http://www.alstom.com/press-centre/...uble-electric-locomotives-to-indian-railways/

But I don't think Pak has a requirement for 2000 locomotives.
 
. .
We have existing Tracks that run 1-2 Trains, and we have tracks in Local Cities not used for running Local Train service

We have stupid train accidents becasue no one is SMART enough to figure out installing a simple GPS unit on the trains , so it will send signal to Command center on location of train geograpically in Pakistan. And you can just use a Sattelite phone to inform Train manager if there is a broken down train in front

> Build track , Build Tracks .....
> What will run on it .....................NOTHING as there are no train

The existing tracks are used only 1-2% only

Look the core of problem is

"PEOPLE WANT FREE LOADING SALARIES" there is no business due to lack of Locomotives but every one wants their FULL perks and salaries"



2004 : We will build track from xyz to abc ~ but we got no Locomotives
2005 : We will build track from Gawadar to xyz ~ but we got no Locomotives
2006 : We will make track from Pakistan to Turkey ~ but we got no Locomotives
2007 : We will run train to solve transport issues in cities ~ but we got no Locomotives
2008 : We will double the track across the regions ~ but we got no Locomotivs
2009 : We will Tripple the track across the region and run a nice shortcut ~ but we got no Locomotives
2010: We plan to run a track in remotest part of Pakistan ~ but we got no Locomotives
2011 : Gawadar rail track will connect major cities of Pakistan ~ but we got no Locomotives
2012 : Strategist in Pakistan want to make a train track from Pakistan , Middle east to Turkey ~ but we got no Locomotives
2013 : People think due to all the tracks being 100 year old technology we can't get new trains ~ by the way we still got no Locomotives
2014: Ok we will get 20-30 Locomotievs but these are for private business
2015: More tracks are needed by Pakistan railways to connect people but we have no Locomotives
2016 : We can make track from Pakistan to central Asia but we got no Locomotives

v1.jpgecddc68a-7455-4b52-945f-a23ce171ea5dLarge.jpg



Simple formula

2000-3000 Locomotives
> Cheaper freight to transport goods
> Less trucks on roads and less traffic jams
> Cheaper price of food products locally due to cheaper goods transportation



c9221ee4662a0af1f1e07dbeb6a1b0fe.jpg


Tracks to no where !!!!!!!! Going no where transporting zero goods and transporting zero people

That is the failed Pakistani Railway Management

  • Waste money with tracks because that makes you CONTRACTOR money for building


EASY MONEY = BUILD USELSSS TRAIN TRACK ... and collect $$$$$$ from Government of Pakistan (PAY CUT)


Lets look at STUPID leadership

> We will take "LOANS" and for which Pakistan will Pay INTREST , however we will never order 2000, 3000 Locomotives

  • Money is always available for tracks but never to buy Locomotives and improveing Engineering effciency

There are 200+ trains that are running Passengers + Freight
 
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We don't utilize the Railways sector to full potential for freight and transport , that is why we got a congestion on streets
 
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Why not upgrade the tracks between industrial centres, improve cargo freight transportation, and use the revenues collected to gradually invest in passenger services everywhere else? It would be a very slow process, but much better than doing nothing and begging for an extra 25 billion.
 
.
Incorrect !!!

Locomotive is sold for 2.5 million in Market (Top of line airconditioned)

  • 5 Billion USD Dollars = 2,000 Brand new Locomotives

Railways is 100% revived

How many Locomotives Pakistan imports 20-30 now and then quite pathetic figure
  • After a 1 time boost in Locomotives , the platforms and stations can be revived provincially by provincial budgets
  • We have labourers that can clean , install tiles or refurnish the stations.


Pakistan wastes all the funding on making useless tracks all over place and does not have sufficient Locomotives to run effectively on these tracks


A train GPS system might have to get purchased that tracks location of trains by GPS so accidents can be prevented may cost 20 million USD to 30 million USD


With out Locomotives the INFRASTRUCTURE investment = USELESS only contractors making $$$$$$$$$$$$$$

  • GET LOCOMOTIVES WORRY ABOUT TRACKS LATER

With 2,000 New Locomotives , and Freight + Train service the company will start making surplus revenue. To start balancing its budget and fixing the tracks with it's own funding

Building tracks with no LocomotIves = STUPID
Most stupid estimation i ever seen here. Bhae g current capacity of our tracks 37 trains per day with limited axle load. What you will do with 2000 locomotives when you have not sufficient business and infrastructure, also your existing infrastructure do not support this much load. Slow and steady wins the race, which is current strategy of Railways establishment.
A classic example, We have just introduced the ABS (autonomous block system) in few areas and current drivers are not accepting that and we have seen 3 deadly accidents recently where they have ignored the red signals and destroyed one GEU-40-9021.
First of all, we need to bring back the confidence of traders as well as passengers on main routes and upgrade the existing main line.
There is also some wrong information in the news. ADB offering loan to upgrade ML-2 which is from kotri to attock.
Everyone hates Saad Rafique due to his bold statements against his political opponents but he is sincere with his current ministry. He is the person who is reviving KCR (you can see his press conferences about the railways) also introducing loop lines (kind of metro train like KCR) for peshawar and quetta.
 
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Railways have a number of strengths that other means of transport don’t have. As well as being safer than the road transport, rail is environmentally friendlier and less polluting. It reduces congestion from roads & highways.

When running on time; rail can be cheaper than road and can outperform both road and air in transporting heavy loads over long distances on land. In many countries, state of the art trains are now often faster than flying because the need to check in 2 hours earlier and wait another hour before exiting the airport is avoided. Besides, train stations are normally within the city centre and thus easier to access than the airports.

Only constraint is the lack of flexibility and in Pakistan’s case, lack of reliability. In a country which spends billions on the import of diesel and petrol; building a modern, competitive railway network should the top priority. I would go as far to say that for transporting goods from internal country markets & factories for export and for bringing machinery and raw materials from abroad and from inland market to the factories; development of a reliable and efficient rail network is a must.

Pakistan therefore badly needs to focus on modernizing Pakistan Railways through the use of new technology and through improving / revamping rail infrastructure while simultaneously working to ensure passenger and goods safety.

However, $35-billion is indeed a very large sum, but one can have a 5 / 7 year program to upgrade the railway system in stages.

In my humble opinion, without an efficient railway network, Pakistan cannot progress.
 
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If the Pakistani authorities really do wish good for the Pakistani people then they will invest in railways and infrastructure development.
But if you see the track record then the people in power are too selfish and do not care about the people or the country, they just want to accumulate enough money by selling the countries wealth and then packing their bags and running off to a cushy western country for their retirement, leaving very little to the people.
 
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