LAHORE(National Times)- In a bid to keep the current fares and freight charges unchanged for three months to facilitate passengers and goods transport customers, the federal government will pay around Rs6 billion to Pakistan Railways (PR) for the increase in operational costs due to the recent increase in diesel prices.
“The increase due to the massive surge in diesel price amounts to around Rs1.9 billion per month and the total difference for three months, till June 30, jumps to about Rs6 billion as calculated by the finance ministry for PR operations,” PR Chief Executive Officer Amir Ali Baloch explained while talking to Dawn on Sunday.
According to him, as soon as the petroleum prices increased, the PR administration was left with no option but to increase fares and freight charges by 30pc. However, he said the prime minister sought a report from the finance and railways ministries regarding the likely increase in passenger and freight charges.
“On this, we worked out the total amount, around Rs6 billion, the PR will have to bear the increase if not implemented immediately. On seeing this, the PM took a decision, announcing to pay Rs6 billion from the federal government to PR in a bid to enable it to keep the current fares and freight charges unchanged till June 30,” he said, stating that the federal government had taken the responsibility to bear this financial burden instead of shifting it on to the passengers and customers.
Federal government has decided to provide Rs6bn to PR to maintain the current fares after recent surge in diesel prices
To a question, he said that though some passenger coaches and goods’ wagons had been damaged due to accidents and derailments, the PR had constituted a special engineering team to repair and maintain such rolling stock on an emergent basis.
Talking to Dawn, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi, who also wanted not to increase the fares and freight charges, appreciated the PM for the move. “I salute the PM, who immediately intervened and decided to bear the Rs6 billion differential amount. Now this relief will continue till June 30,” he added.
He said the PM also instructed him to also start operating new passenger and freight trains to shift more passengers and cargo customers to rail from road transport. “We have started making a plan for running new trains, as the instructions have been passed to the officers concerned,” he maintained.
To a question, he said the PR had entered an urgent phase of repair and maintenance of locomotives, as many had not been maintained properly in the last nine years.
PLANTATION DRIVE: Under the theme “Jithay Hariyali… Othay Khushhali”, a tree plantation campaign has been formally launched in Lahore starting from Qasrhi Park.
The drive has been launched in collaboration between the Lahore Horticulture Agency (LAH) and a non-governmental organisation. In the inaugural ceremony, LAH Managing Director Raja Mansoor planted saplings to mark the launch of the campaign.
Addressing the ceremony, he stated that the participation of non-governmental organisations in the plantation drive was a welcoming step, which would play a significant role in improving Lahore’s green cover. He informed that a target of planting 5,000 saplings had been set under the campaign, with a focus on indigenous and shade-giving trees. He further stated that work was underway on various mega projects, including green corridors in Lahore, aimed at enhancing the beauty of the city.
Mr Mansoor said that a free home delivery service for plants had been introduced to facilitate citizens. He reiterated the commitment to utilising all available resources for the protection of trees and the promotion of further plantation across the city.
