KARACHI: The cargo train between Karachi and Lahore resumed operations on Saturday after remaining inoperative for about a week. The suspension in the service caused over Rs2.4 billion loss to the railways, contractors said.
The Cargo Express has a capacity to transfer 60 tonnes of load from Karachi to Lahore on its 27 wagons, and Rs135,000 per wagon are charged as rent by the railways, which comes to over Rs3.5 million per day.
Contractors said that the train carries only “imported goods” up to Lahore, arriving directly from the port to the Cantonment Station, thus leaving no question of scrutiny of goods.
From Lahore, the train brings back locally produced items, they said. Amid precarious law and order situation in Karachi, there should be scanners for examining the goods arriving from Lahore, the contractors addded.
The operation of cargo service must continue as its stoppage creates problems for daily wagers, they said.
However, some workers were unsatisfied over the long working hours for them and meager payment they get for loading or unloading in view of Rs3.5m daily earnings of Pakistan Railway. At one wagon, about eight to 10 labourers are assigned, and contractors pay them Rs11,000-12,000 per wagon. It means each worker gets an average of Rs1,200 daily.
Contractors and labourers were , however, happy over resumption of the train. A majority of them were seen loading goods as train was expected to depart early morning.
The goods are loaded/unloaded at a number of warehouses situated at the City Station.
It is hard to calculate the actual worth of goods being transported. Big chemicals drums, plastic granules bags, shoes, powdered milk etc are loaded on these wagons.
A contractor said that the price of one bag of imported plastic granule costs Rs5,000, and with 2,335 bags in one wagon, the cost comes to over Rs11m.
The cost of one fully loaded wagon with other costly items sometimes runs into billions, he added.
Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2015
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