Crunch-ridden railways adopts a costly route

LAHORE, Feb 3: The Pakistan Railways has increased by 18 hours (collectively) the running time of eight important trains in spite of the fact that it incurred a huge amount on the rehabilitation or renewal of track and procurement of locomotives and coaches. "At present, the Pakistan Railways is facing acute shortage of High Speed Diesel (HSD) but the higher management had neither taken any serious and concrete step to control its leakage or to manage its correct issuance," says the Special Audit Report on the Trains Operations of Pakistan Railways 2009-10. "The one-way running time of the trains operating between Peshawar and Karachi, Rawalpindi and Karachi/Quetta, Lahore and Karachi, and Sialkot and Karachi was 199 hours in 2000, which has now increased to 217 hours," says the report finalised by AGP Director-General Irfan Jahangir Wattoo. Some 234 freight and passenger trains were plying on the entire system of the railways in June 2010 with the help of 520 Diesel Electric (DE) locomotives of different classes and 1,868 passenger coaches of different classes were available, said the report. "The timeliness of trains and cleanliness of coaches is a matter of concern for the travelling public. It is a common perception among general public that a train will always be late due to defective loco, failure of locomotives en route or their detention at different stations. Besides, cleanliness of passenger coaches especially that of toilets has not been up to the mark. "Although the locomotives are attached with the trains after thorough examination and coaches are cleaned and washed at the originating stations and also cleaned en route at major stations and 15 to 20 railway employees are deputed in a running train for various purposes to facilitate travelling public," says the report also submitted to the PR Board chairman. Between May and July last year, a team of audit officers travelled on Karakoram Express, Tezgam, Subak Kharam, Khyber Mail, Jaffar Express and Karachi Express to study and analyse their operations. The team noticed discrepancies in the 18 DE locomotives attached with the six trains. The scheduled repairs or overhauling of 10 were not carried out while in case of five others repairs or overhauling was carried out late. "Due to improper maintenance, the locomotives failed en route frequently, resulting in detention of train and hardships to travelling public. "Glow-rods are installed on both sides of fuel tank to measure the quantity of fuel available in the tank. It was noticed that in case of nine locomotives the rods were available on one side only. The HSD ranging from 3,500 to 7,500 litres were filled in on estimated basis in absence of the other rod. As such, the possibility of connivance to pilfer HSD Oil cannot be ruled out. "Six traction motors are installed in each DE locomotive for its proper operation or running of trains. It was noticed that out of 18 locomotives, nine were running with three or four traction motors. Due to non-installation of required number of traction motors, the working of locomotives was affected very badly, resultantly the trains were delayed. "It was noticed that the engines of locomotives were not switched off despite the fact that the required number of batteries was available. Those were never shut down during idle period ranging from three to six hours. This resulted in a huge loss in shape of wastage of HSD, Lube Oil and depreciation of equipment or machinery. "It was noticed that different kinds of gauges, meters, and fans were either not available in the locomotives or were out of order. In the absence of the speed-meter the drivers were running the trains at estimated speeds. About 295 speed restrictions have been imposed on the main line. Any wrong estimation by the driver may result in a grave accident." During review of record of Lube Oil issued to the DE Locos, the audit officers found that 4,410 litres released oil, decanted from the stabled DE locos at Quetta, was sent to Mach and Sibbi (210 litres each), Rohri (1,680 litres), Karachi (1,470 litres) and Rawalpindi (840 litres) sheds for utilisation in place of fresh oil. The team further noticed that in case of 16 locomotives, Lube Oil was not changed on the prescribed time limit and those were allowed to run with the over-due oil that enhanced possibility of damages to locomotives. The special audit revealed that each of 13 air-conditioned coaches were working with the three air-conditioning units instead of four. Due to deficiency of one unit the temperature of the coaches could not be maintained at the desired level. Furthermore, thermostats of five air-conditioned coaches were either missing or out of order. In the absence of thermostats there was hardly possible to keep the temperature at the desired level though the AC Attendants were controlling the temperature on estimation basis. The travelling public was not satisfied with the working of AC units.The panels of air-conditioning units of 10 coaches were in very dilapidated condition. Volts meters, Ampere meters and timers installed in the panel board were either missing or out of order. In the absence of Volts and Ampere meters, it was hardly possible to monitor the operation of the air-conditioning units properly. Scrutiny of record of AC coaches of different divisions revealed that 28 Air-Conditioned Class coaches were declared "electrically damaged" and stabled in Washing Lines from March 30 to June 30, 2010. The coaches were declared damaged due to unavailability of air-conditioning gas. The total cost of gas for these 28 coaches was approximately Rs63,000 only. Failure to manage purchase of gas resulted in depriving of potential earnings amounting to Rs309.258 million to the railway administration. The team found darkness and high temperature in economy class coaches Nos 11418, 12157, 11405 and 11439 of Karakoram Express due to out-of-order lighting system. As a result neither lights nor fans were in working order. That was very hot day and due to non-operation of fans the passengers especially children and women were facing great hardships. Seats of AC (Business) Class coaches of six trains were dirty. Sometimes back seat-covers were being provided to passengers but the practice was discontinued due to the reasons best known to railway administration. No cover was provided by the concerned staff. Due to stinking smell it was hardly possible to sit and sleep thereon. No utensil (lota) was provided in the toilets of all the coaches of AC (Business), Economy and AC (Sleeper) classes due to which passengers were facing great hardships and using plastic bottles. Toilets of all coaches were cleaned at the time of departure of the trains from originating stations. With the passage of time their condition worsened. There was no proper arrangement to clean them thoroughly en route. Water was filled in the water tanks at the originating stations of the trains and also replenished en route. However, water in the toilets was always finished just after the two or three hours after filling in the toilets of not only economy class coaches but also of AC (Business) Class coaches. It is not known whether water filling staff fills the water tank completely or not. The toilets of AC (Sleeper) Class coaches have been provided with western-type commodes only. Besides, half of the toilets of AC (Business) class have been fitted with the western-type commode. All the passengers were of the view that it would be in fitness of things if all the toilets are fitted with eastern-type commode with Muslim-showers. At present almost all the passengers use western type commode by putting their feet on top of its brim. Resultantly, it becomes unusable even for a person desirous of using it in western style.