Pakistan Railways is going to switch all of its stations, including major railway terminates, offices, workshops, and factories, to solar power in phases. This decision will help the department save billions of dollars.
An official at the Ministry of Railways told the state-run news agency, “The step is expected to save Rs. 1.8 billion in the first phase to the department; later on, more stations, offices, and other facilities will be added in the subsequent phases.”
He stated that Pakistan Railways planned to convert about 99 formations, including major train stations, nine divisional headquarters, and other important offices, to solar power in the first phase.
According to him, Pakistan Railways intends to seek the help of National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) to transform its network into a solar system.
According to the official, the department has decided to convert the railway network to solar power to relieve Pakistan Railways of its economic load.
In response to a query, the official stated that to increase the organization’s revenue, Pakistan Railways also plans on putting optical cables throughout all of the nation’s railroad tracks in a joint venture with investors from the private sector.
He continued, “Pakistan Railways has a 7,791-kilometer railway network throughout the nation, which will help the department to improve its financial condition and also attract investors’ attention.”
The Ministry of Railways noted that the department was providing a great opportunity for the laying of fiber optic cables along its track for digital connectivity throughout the county, and he said that the topic was also discussed during a meeting of the Economic Coordination Committee (ECC).
According to the official, Pakistan Railways said that despite possessing average assets and large pension costs, its economic condition was getting worse and that it would continue to become more dependent on government subsidies unless new sources of income were found.
