PR earns over Rs 81m by leasing out railway land in KP

Pakistan Railways has earned Rs 81.724 million by leasing out unutilized land of the railway available on Mardan-Dargai section, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ( KPK) for various purposes during the last five years.

The railway land was leased out on both the short and long term basis, official sources in the Ministry of Railways told APP on Monday.

Giving break-up, they said, the land was leased out for agriculture at Rs 0.204 million, parking at Rs 0.29 million, stacking at Rs 2.44 million and tehbazari at Rs 6.45 million.

The lease included shops at Rs 1.96 million, cattle fares at Rs 0.64 million, row for the construction of flyover at Takht Bhai at Rs 0.55 million, buildings at Rs 2.715 million and goods shed at Rs 2.937 million besides giving land for other commercial activities at Rs 63.536 million.

The available railway land is leased out in a transparent manner through open public auction by fixing bench mark/reserve price of auction after evaluation, they added.

They said the entire section between Mardan-Dargai Railway Stations was free from any unauthorized occupation and encroachments.

In case of any temporary encroachments like hand carts, wheel barrows etc these are immediately handled effectively by carrying out clean-up operations in coordination with the District Administration, the sources said.

They said that at present, 357.20 acres of railway land exists over Mardan- Dargai section having worth of Rs. 1412.00 million approximately.