LAHORE: Two trains have been running without luggage vans for the last nine months or so.

`Our earning from the luggage portion of another five trains has been nominal since May this year,` an of ficial of the Pakistan Railways commercial wing told Dawn.

Having loading capacity of 10 ton each, the luggage vans of Khyber Mail, Allama Iqbal Express, Awam Express and Jaffer Express were awarded to private contractors on Feb 15 this year through auction.

Bids were also invited for the auction of luggage portions, having loading capacity of 2,100 kilo each, of six other trains the same day but only Karakoram Express and Pakistan Express could find contractors while no party expressed interest in Tezgam, Karachi Express, Millat Express and Akbar Bugti Express.

However, after three months or so contractors `abandoned` the luggage vans of Allama Iqbal Express and Awami Express besides luggage portion of Karakoram Express as they were sustaining losses, said the officer who sought anonymity.

The luggage van of Business Express after running empty for a week or so was awarded as stopgap arrangement for 30 days to a courier company on Nov 4.

`Now the authorities have invited bids for the auction of luggage van of Business Express only. It seems they are unaware of the fact that Allama Iqbal Express and Awami Express had been running without luggage vans while the luggage portions of Karakoram, Tezgam, Karachi, Millat and Akbar Express trains are going almost empty every day. We are losing earnings of millions of rupees every day, said the officer.