Pakistan Railways provides transportation facilities to the people across the country but somehow not much investment has been made for its improvement for years together by succeeding civil and military governments. Vested interests had even promoted transport sector at the cost of the railways as a result of which it had started deterioration due to persistent government neglect.
It is good to note that the present government is paying due attention to improvement of the Railways working, its income has improved and a turnaround is taking place. Trains have started mostly running on schedule and the travelling people’s confidence in the improved railways is gradually increasing.
A massive up-gradation of the railways is in hand which is to be undertaken with huge Chinese investment over the years. Framework agreement for investment of Rs 1000 billion for up-gradation of main railway line has recently been signed with China in this regard.
Besides up-gradation of Peshawar to Karachi track, the upcoming Chinese investment will also be utilised on improvement of Havelian Container Terminal and Pakistan Railways Walton Academy Lahore, double track will be laid, fencing of populated areas along the track, installation of automatic modern signalling system and new locomotives of 100 kilometres per hour speed procured.
More importantly, according to the reports in the newspapers, up-gradation of track from Karachi to Peshawar will be undertaken for trains running with a speed of 160 kilometres per hour. Presently trains are running not more 80 kilometres per hour on the old track which has not been replaced for decades together despite half cooked attempts couple of time because it involves lot of investment and time for undertaking gigantic major improvement work.
It all augurs well and with Chinese investment flowing in and all administrative, managerial and engineering works are completed as per schedule and all these up-gradation and improvement works are launched and completed efficiently then Pakistan Railways will surely be transformed and people of Pakistan will be seeing a new railway in near future.
AAMER A NAJMEE
Lahore
