Pakistan Railways Going Green: Solar Power for 155 Stations

As part of the government’s initiative to promote renewable energy, Pakistan Railways is transitioning 155 stations to solar power, a move projected to yield significant cost savings for the national treasury.

This development was highlighted during a meeting convened at the Prime Minister’s Office in Islamabad on Wednesday, according to an official statement.

During the session, the Federal Minister for Railways, Hanif Abbasi, updated the Prime Minister on the progress of ongoing reforms within Pakistan Railways.

The meeting participants were informed that several previously suspended train services have been restored. The Bolan Mail has been re-established as a daily service, and the Dera Ghazi Khan Express and Khushhal Khan Khattak Express are back in operation.

Furthermore, the outsourcing process for concrete sleeper factories in Sukkur, Khanewal, and Kohat is currently underway.

Railway hospitals, schools, colleges, and rest houses located in major cities such as Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta, Multan, and Sukkur are also slated for outsourcing under revenue-sharing agreements.

Additional Updates:
  • The Royal Palm Golf and Country Club in Lahore is being prepared for auction, with plans for a potential five-star hotel on the premises.
  • The digitisation of railway operations is being accelerated to modernize the overall system.
  • The restructuring of the Pakistan Railways IT Directorate is progressing swiftly.

Several entities, including Pakistan Railways Advisory & Consultancy Services, Railcop, Pakistan Railways Freight Transport Company, and the Project Implementation Unit, have been dissolved. Additionally, railway land valued at Rs10 billion has been reclaimed.

In collaboration with the Punjab government, work is in progress on projects like a high-speed rail link between Lahore and Rawalpindi, upgrades to the Lahore and Rawalpindi stations, and the introduction of suburban train services on eight branch lines within Punjab.

A green belt will be established along the Shahdara Bagh to Kot Lakhpat railway line. The railway lines between Saryab-Kuchlak and Quetta-Chaman will undergo upgrades in partnership with the Balochistan government.

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, who presided over the meeting, instructed officials to create a strategic plan aimed at expanding Pakistan Railways’ network to bolster trade connections with Central Asian countries.

He also directed that efforts be intensified to link Gwadar to the Pakistan Railways network.