PR losses rise to Rs48b from Rs31b; 245 stations closed

PESHAWAR (PPI) - Pakistan Railways which has been failed to control its ever-increasing losses has closed downed its 245 small and big stations across the country however single stations has been re-functional during 2009.
The losses of Pakistan Railway which were Rs 31 billion before the present rulers came in power, has now reached to Rs 48 billion while its waste property has been confiscated by land mafia and illegally used by various departments.
Around 4,231 acre land of Pakistan Railway, which could generate huge revenue and help control the increasing losses of the department, is in control of land mafia and other departments in 8 railway divisions of Pakistan. 1160 acre prime land has been in illegal control of public departments while 3071 acres commercial and non commercial property has been confiscated by land mafia which is using it from years without fearing any legal action from the ministry of railway.
Lahore division is on the tope where 2382 acre land has been confiscated while Quetta division is on 2nd position where 566 acre land is being used by land grabbers including the public departments.
In Peshawar division 396 acres, most of the commercial property is under illegal control of the land mafia as well as governmental institutions which use it without paying any amount to the railway department.
Similarly in Karachi 248 acres land including the commercial property has been confiscated by land mafia and other public institutions which use it for their personal benefits causing losses to the railway which has become a white elephant for the national exchequer.
In Sakhar and Multan divisions 259 and 237 acre land being used by land grabbers and other institutions while the respective divisions has been kept silence over the illegal use of the railway property thus helping the mafia not to vacate their illegal possession.
Railway ministry, which has realized for the first time in 66 years, has decided to prepare a master plan for vacation of the confiscated land from the land mafia as well as of the public departments.
For this purpose the ministry has issued notices to the public departments to pay rent for the land under their use or adopt legal procedure to use it on lease. The ministry has also sought provincial governments help to back the possession of the confiscated land kick out the confiscators from the railway property.
On other hand facing huge financial losses railway has closed downed its 245 stations in all four provinces of Pakistan. Only a single station in Mardan has been made functional from where the service has been restarted for Lahore, Karachi and other parts of the country.
After independence of Pakistan 986 small and big railway stations were functional in the country however due to the advent of modern passenger services peoples attention from railway diverted towards the faster traveling means including passenger coaches and airlines services.
However the apathy on party of the railway staff and corruption in the ministry has contributed a lot to damage the service and inculcate huge financial losses to the department which the respective governments failed to control, and also unable to adopt the strategy to convert railway in to a revenue earning service.