Railways to launch three tourist trains

Islamabad: Pakistan Railways is planning to launch three tourist trains soon with an aim to promote tourism in the country under the directives of Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed.

The tourist trains with steam engines will be operated between Rawalpindi-Taxila, Peshawar-Attock Bridge, and Karachi-Keenjhar Lake, an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP. He said the launch of these trains would help Pakistan Railways to earn extra revenue.

To a question, he said that different departments of federal and provincial government had to pay Rs2715.41 million to Pakistan Railways on account of freight and level crossing maintenance charges, etc.

Giving details, he said the Pakistan Railways has total outstanding amount against the departments of federal government of Rs945.009 million and Rs1770.401 million against the provincial government departments.

He said that federal departments, including defence, has to pay Rs831.082 million on account of freight and level crossing maintenance charges, National Highway Rs 55.464 million of level crossing and maintenance authority charges, Postal Rs19.994 million of land charges, Post Master General Rs17.055 million of freight charges, State Bank of Pakistan Rs12.799 million of freight charges and Controller General of Accounts, Islamabad Rs8.615 million of pension share.

The outstanding amount against provincial department including Food, Communication and Works, Irrigation, Police and Local Government and Community Development (Municipalities TMAs, TMOs etc, he added.

He said that Pakistan Railways had to receive Rs371.490 million from different departments of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Rs1228.872 from Punjab, Rs146.208 million of Sindh and Rs23.831 million from Balochistan government departments. The official said that the provincial government departments had to pay outstanding amount on account of level crossing and maintenance charges, passion share and land charges.