KARACHI: A framework for upgradation of Karachi-Peshawar Railway Line (ML-1) has been finalised between Pakistan Railways and National Railways Administration (NRA) China on Wednesday.
A meeting of the Pakistan Railways authorities led by Chief Executive Officer Javed Anwar Bobak and a delegation of the NRA China headed by Xang Hueng was held here at Railways Headquarters on Wednesday.
The meeting decided that the project of upgradation would be completed in two phases and the railway track from Karachi to Peshawar doubled.
Pakistan Railways CEO Javed Anwar Bobak said that the train speed on this track would be 110 km/h at the minimum while the maximum would be 160km/h after its upgradation.
He said that a revolutionary process has been started in the Pakistan Railways.
Bobak said that about 32 trains were running on the ML-1 Karachi to Peshawar track recently; this number would be increased to 171 after completion of the project.
“The 2,655km track will be upgraded, 364km to be overhauled while 814km track will be constructed anew”, he added.
The CEO said that as many as 2,700 bridges, 550 turns and 11 tunnels would be upgraded, while this track would be protected through fencing, adding that modern techniques of computer based inter-locking system, auto block signalling, automatic train protection, advance road warning and centralised traffic control would be adopted.
He said locomotives, ruling stock and Walton Academy would also be upgraded.
The Chinese delegation also paid rich tribute to Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique for his marvellous services for restoration and modernisation of the railways.
It may be mentioned here that Chinese experts had already visited the Rawalpindi-Lahore and Lahore-Sahiwal tracks for inspection.
