India pushing for more freight trains to Pak

In a desperate bid to stabilise the rising cement prices in the country, the Indian Government is now pushing for more than double...

In a desperate bid to stabilise the rising cement prices in the country, the Indian Government is now pushing for more than double the number of freight trains between India and Pakistan through the Lahore-Attari border route.

In the two-day inter-governmental talks between railway officials from both countries, which began on Tuesday, the Indian side made a strong pitch for increasing the number of freight trains on the route from the present two pairs to five pairs per day.

The move, sources said, is prompted by the Indian Government’s plan to increase cement imports from Pakistan so as to rein the rising domestic prices. India imported 63,000 tonnes of cement from Pakistan through the Lahore-Attari rail route in May, but if both sides agree, this number could more than double.

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“Reducing the time taken for train examinations is being actively considered as a measure to enable the running of more trains per day,” said a Railways source adding that commencing operations at daybreak was an option to increase the number of trains.

Imported cement from Pakistan is estimated to be cheaper by roughly Rs 50 per bag than the kind available in the Indian market, said Indian Railways sources, adding that Pakistan is open to facilitating the move since it could substantially increase its cement exports.

Rail Bhawan officials also said that India is pressing for introducing freight trains on the Munabao-Khokrapar route on the Rajasthan border side, but this suggestion has not yet found favour with Pakistan.

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