Risalpur: Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has directed the authorities concerned to completely revamp the Pakistan Locomotive Factory, Risalpur, in accordance with global standards and fully utilize its production capacity. He issued these directives during his visit to the factory today.

According to Radio Pakistan, during his visit, the Minister reviewed various sections of the factory, including production activities, locomotive repair and rehabilitation, and local manufacturing of spare parts. He emphasized the need for all trains to be equipped with fully functional braking systems by the end of this year to further enhance operational safety and efficiency.

Hanif Abbasi also instructed the authorities to prioritize the manufacturing of AGE-30 locomotives and announced the production of 400 hopper wagons starting next year. During the visit, it was revealed that 300 spare parts have been locally manufactured at the Risalpur factory, resulting in foreign exchange savings amounting to 2.6 billion rupees.

Additionally, the Minister was informed that the modernization of 15 AGE-30 locomotives is currently underway, with plans for the rehabilitation of 16 more AGE-30 diesel-electric locomotives set to begin next month.