Railways in dilemma over resuming Kohat-Pindi train service

PESHAWAR: After repeated demands by the people, Pakistan Railways authorities have started assessing whether or not to resume the Kohat-Rawalpindi service that has been abandoned since 2011.

However, sources in the Pakistan Railways told The News on Wednesday that the operational cost of the service is much more than its expected revenue and it will cause loss to the exchequer. 

People of Kohat have been demanding resumption of the service to their area since long. Last week, elders of Kohat staged a protest rally under the banner of a social welfare organisation Karwan-i-Amal to demand resumption of the train service to their area as necessary infrastructure is already there.

A senior official of the Railways department said on condition of anonymity that resumption of the Kohat service required Rs250 million for the expenditure.

“The department yesterday completed a section survey through a motor trolley, run by three to four staffers, to assess the tracks for resumption of the service. However, the problem is that it will cause Rs100,000 loss per day,” said the official. 

Most of roads in the country are damaged and in dilapidated condition due to transportation of goods by heavy vehicles. If trains are used for transportation of goods, the roads can be saved while the Pakistan Railways would also earn adequate money to sustain itself and launch service to more areas.

The Pakistan Railways has been termed as a white elephant for quite some time. The Kohat-Rawalpind train service, which once used to facilitate many people, was closed down due to losses. 

However, Divisional Transportation Officer of the Pakistan Railways Umar Riaz told this correspondent that the department earns money through freight service mostly, not the passenger service.

“Pakistani Railways earns money though freight service and spends it on the passenger service. The passenger service doesn’t give profit to the Railways but we run it in the larger interest of the public,” he pointed out.

He said the government needs to restart the Goods and Transit to Afghanistan (GETA) through railways to strengthen the department financially. 

“GETA was stopped through railways about four years ago. In the past, the GETA service not only earned money for the railways but it also ensured safe transportation of goods from Karachi to Peshawar and then onwards to Torkham,” he added. The service was stopped when several containers were stolen during transportation on the highway, he added.

When contacted, Divisional Superintendent of the Pakistan Railways, Ali Muhammad Afridi, said that they were assessing the Kohat-Rawalpindi service currently and would decide whether or not to start it in due course of time. 

“We also want to facilitate the people but we are thinking how to reduce the operational cost for resuming the Kohat-Rawalpindi service,” he added.