TRAINING FACILITIES

ON

PAKISTAN RAILWAYS
( IN BRIEF )

Maqsood A. Khan

TRAINING FACILITIES ON PAKISTAN RAILWAYS

TRAINING INSTITUTIONS ON PAKISTAN RAILWAYS Presently the major Training Institutions on Pakistan Railways are Pakistan Railway Academy, Walton Lahore Railway Police Training School, Walton, Lahore Accounts Training Centre, Walton Lahore MET Center, Workshops Division Moghalpura, Lahore

Pakistan Railway Academy, Walton Lahore This Academy primarily meets with the training needs of Pakistan Railways to train its staff in train operation (Traffic / Commercial), Signalling & Telecommunication, Civil Engineering (Infrastructures / Track), Mechanical (Locomotives / Carriage & Wagons), Store / Purchase and Personnel and Rules governing the same at following levels. Pre-service training for staff and officers before holding their actual appointments on Pakistan Railways In-service promotion & refresher courses for members of Railway Staff only Occasional Refresher Courses for Officers like doctors etc Advanced Railway Course for participants from the railways of Afro Asian countries It is pointed out that most of the participants at PRA

are the staff upto Grade 16, who range between 400-500 at one point of time; whereas the officers, who are trained at initial level only, belong to Traffic / Commercial; Mechanical, Civil, Signalling, Telecommunication Engineering, and Store / Purchase Departments.

The Training is imparted through Class Rooms, Model

Rooms having the replica of the actual System on Pakistan Railways and in the fields on the PR system Railway Police Training School, Walton, Lahore Provides training to meet with requirements of Pakistan Railways Police under IG / PRP

Accounts Training Centre, Walton Lahore For the training of Accounts Branch staff under FA & CAO

MET Center, Workshops Division Moghalpura, Lahore For the training of apprentices for Mechanical Branch under DS / Workshops In Addition to above there is a Diesel Training School at Karachi for the technical training of Mechanical Staff especially the running / maintenance staff of Diesel Electric Locomotives. VISION INFRASTRUCTURE Development of existing infrastructure and other facilities like Service Buildings, Hostels, Classrooms, Staff Residences, Furniture etc Separate Hostels for Officers and Women (which presently are not there) PLANT, EQUIPMENT, AND TRAINING AIDS Improvement of various model rooms, provision of simulators, upto date audiovisual aid

STAFF AND ALLIED FACILITIES Training of Trainers Strengthening the existing faculty in view of increasing demand for and importance of training Improvement of medical facilities

TRAINING CONCEPT The training imparted in the Railway Institutions is primarily for the railway operation in accordance with the Rules, Manuals (Standard Operating Procedures) and Instructions / Maintenance Reference Books received with new equipment and technology.

However, in addition to that new and modern concepts of training to enhance the productivity of workers as well as officers by changing training environment of these institutions; and for this purpose studies should be got carried out by the experts in this field.

RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT Presently the Research and Development activities are not being undertaken in these institutions, an area which also needs to be studied by the experts in this field. UP-GRADATION OF PAKISTAN RAILWAYS ACADEMY AS A UNIVERSITY There is a continuous thinking to develop the Academy into a Degree Awarding University; and proposals are put forward accordingly.

However this issue is again to be examined keeping in view the demand by Pakistan Railways or going beyond that to meet with the growing demand in the Gulf States for Rail oriented Projects.

RELATIONSHIP OF RAILWAY INSTITUTIONS WITH NATIONAL TRAINING INSTITUTIONS LIKE CIVIL SERVICES ACADEMY, NIPA, STAFF COLLEGE AND NDU Presently Railways Institutions are not in direct contact with any one of the above National Institutions except The members of the Traffic / Commercial Group are directed to PRA after completing their training from Civil Services Academy wherefrom (PRA) they are directed to the Railway. As far as NIPA, Staff College or NDU are concerned the officers of various grades are directed for training to these institutions as a pre-requisite for promotion. As far as linking of all these institutions is concerned the areas which can commonly be dealt with are to be identified by the agency / department having influence on all of these, keeping in view the peculiar nature of training required by technical department like railways.