Railways receives Rs 54.5m for manning level crossings

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KARACHI: Pakistan Railways has received a sum of Rs 54.5 million out of total Rs 105 million from the Sindh Government for manning the unmanned level crossings during the current financial year.

“The total number of manned level crossings under the Pakistan Railway system at present is 1,514 and unmanned level crossings are 1,875,” sources in the Railways Ministry told APP.

According to a joint survey conducted in collaboration with the concerned district authorities during 2013, a total number of vulnerable level crossings were 550.

Pakistan Railways has proactively taken up this issue with the provincial governments and 75 unmanned level crossings out of 550 have been manned during 2015-16 in Punjab comparing to only seven unmanned level crossings upgraded during last five years (2008-2013), they added.

The sources said that efforts were underway for up-gradation of remaining vulnerable level crossings. In this regard, the help of respective provincial governments was being solicited.

They said the government of Punjab has agreed to provide funding for up-gradation of another 150 vulnerable unmanned level crossings during the financial year 2016-17 and 2017-18.

In order to update the status of vulnerable level crossings, a fresh survey is scheduled for March to May 2017, they added.

Pakistan Railways has also been exploring the possibility of converting vulnerable unmanned level crossings into underpasses on Build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis.