K-Electric Cuts Power to Pakistan Railways Over Unpaid Bills, Disruption Hits Karachi’s Railway System
Islamabad:K-Electric has recently disconnected the power supply to Pakistan Railways due to non-payment of outstanding bills. The utility company has made it clear that electricity will remain suspended until Pakistan Railways settles its dues. This disruption has caused significant challenges for Pakistan Railways in Karachi, severely affecting the daily operations of the railway system.
The question that arises is why Pakistan Railways has not cleared its outstanding bills with K-Electric. According to Muhammad Nasir Khilili, Divisional Superintendent of Pakistan Railways Karachi, the dispute with K-Electric has intensified, leading to the suspension of power to various railway colonies and essential systems in Karachi.
### **Impact of Power Cut on Pakistan Railways:**
The power shutdown has led to a major disruption in the functioning of Pakistan Railways in Karachi. Key services, including the online ticket booking system, have been suspended, and there are concerns that the automatic signaling system may also shut down. As a result, the timely operation of passenger and goods trains could be severely impacted.
Sources indicate that 38 passenger trains operating daily from Karachi have been affected by the power outage. Furthermore, Pakistan Railways Karachi Division generates daily revenues of approximately 50 to 60 million rupees, and the current situation is causing severe travel difficulties for around 30,000 to 35,000 passengers daily.
### **The Issue of Unpaid Bills:**
Nasir Khilili revealed that Pakistan Railways owes K-Electric a substantial sum of 70 billion rupees, accumulated over the past 10 years. Despite repeated notices, no payment has been made by Pakistan Railways. K-Electric’s installations, including grid stations, substations, and underground cables, are situated on Pakistan Railways’ land, with monthly bills ranging between 8 to 10 crore rupees. Over the past year, Pakistan Railways has failed to pay more than one billion rupees in outstanding dues to K-Electric.
In comparison, Pakistan Railways has managed to recover 21.5 crore rupees from Sui Southern Gas, 11.1 crore rupees from PTCL, and a total of 60 crore rupees from various other entities, including the Sindh government.
### **Action Against K-Electric:**
In response to the situation, Pakistan Railways has issued a final notice to K-Electric, urging the utility company to settle its outstanding payments. If K-Electric fails to clear its dues, Pakistan Railways has warned that it will also stop paying its bills to K-Electric.
Nasir Khilili emphasized that despite the ongoing dispute, Pakistan Railways is prioritizing public service and is working to find an immediate solution to minimize the hardships faced by passengers.
This dispute between K-Electric and Pakistan Railways highlights the broader issue of unpaid bills and the impact on public services, with both parties urging each other to settle their financial obligations in order to restore normalcy to the railway system.
