subject transportation Engineering
Answers
An effective railway system of the country facilitates commerce and trade, reduces transportation cost and promotes rural development and national integration. Pakistan Railway is a national state-owned rail transport service of Pakistan, head-quartered in Lahore and administered by the federal government under the Ministry of Railways. Pakistan railway provides an important mode of transportation throughout Pakistan. It plays an important role in bringing the farthest corners of the country closer for the purpose of business, sightseeing, education, pilgrimage and many other important services. Pakistan railway is not only the cheapest yet safe mode of transportation, this public state enterprise is also the largest civil employer of the country but currently the dwindling sustainability of Pakistan Railways (PR) continues to be of great concern to the pride of Pakistani people in general and causes a serious dent in the image of Pakistani management prowess in particular. Unfortunately over the years lack of attention, poor policies, increasing expenditures, misappropriation of funds, pilferage, nepotism, floods and inadequate technology and mismanagement have left Pakistan Railway with huge budget deficits running in billion of rupees and other crises have enrolled PR that seriously had aggravated appearing as question mark on its sustainability. This study attempts to highlight the current deteriorating condition of Pakistan Railway from an operational, financial and other related perspectives by analyzing the various factors responsible affecting the performance of PR both at the local and global level. The consequences and implications of this grave situation on the national economy are identified and in particular the role and support of government in response is also accounted. Although the continuous decline had left PR nowhere on a global level yet efforts were made to compare PR with other countries in particular neighboring countries such as India and China and also signifying the importance of PR on a competitive basis in comparison to other modes of transport is also discussed.