Pakistan Railways is actively working to implement Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s vision of connecting Gwadar to Kashgar through rail link.
Sources said that Railways Minister Khwaja Saad Rafiq, among other proposals for next Public Sector Development Programme, has included a scheme for setting up dry port at Havelian as part of Pakistan-China economic corridor.
The second important project in the regard is up-gradation of ML-1 railway track from Karachi to Peshawar, which currently can accommodate trains with 100- 120 kilometer per hour speed.
The up-gradation will increase speed up to 150 kilometer per hour. The project also includes dualization of track from Khanewal to Peshawar, which will help curtail the travel duration between Karachi and Peshawar.
The source said that due to certain initiatives, a decrease of Rs 7 billion has been recorded in Pakistan Railways losses in last 10 months, which were Rs 36 billion when Ghulam Ahmed Bilor left the ministry.
The source said process of acquisition of 58 new locomotives in Railways’ fleet would be completed by the end of this year, which will bring a prominent change in the public transport system. These locomotives have American and German machines.
Pakistan Railways has already increased its freight services and now 26 freight trains are functional. This initiative has increased railways revenues.
At present, 96 locomotives are engaged with passenger trains.
According to the source, Pakistan Railways is also working on commercialization of its various services, which will further increase its revenues.
