CPEC: Pakistan Railways to connect Gwadar, Quetta through rail routes with entire Pakistan
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ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways will complete rehabilitation work of Sibi-Harnai (95 kms) section soon while Harnai-Khost (39 kms) section is scheduled to be completed by February 2018.
During the last five years, Ministry of Railways has actively pursued the revival of Pakistan Railways infrastructure and had undertaken to rebuild the Sibi-Harnai and Harnai-Khost, on which 75 per cent work has already been completed.
Similarly work for the rehabilitation of Kohat City-Rawalpindi section (174 kms) likely to be completed during current month as 80 percent work has already been executed, an official in the Ministry told APP.
To question, he said, Pakistan Railways had however not closed any existing route during the last five years.
There are proposals under consideration for laying new railway track from Gwadar to Besima and Jacobabad via Khuzdar and Zhob 胖.I KhanKotla Jam, he said adding that PC-II for feasibility studies for proposed new rail links had been approved and the feasibility study was in progress.
He said that upgrdation of feasibility study from Gwadar to Mustung and new rail link from Besima to Jacobabad via Khuzdar, the proposed link would start from Gwadar and connect with Mustung/Wali Khan (an existing station on Quetta-Zahidan Line 48 kms from Quetta) via Turbat, Hoshab, Punjgur and Besima having a length of 899.89 kms.
The alignment from Besima further connects with Jacobabad via Khuzdar, having a length of 387 kms. The feasibility study for this new route is in progress. The estimated cost of project would be Rs. 185 billion, the official added.
To another question he said that feasibility study for up-gradation and extension of ML-III in connection with China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), the proposed link start from Bostan (an existing station on Quetta耶haman Line, 33 kms from Quetta) and link D.I Khan via Zhob.
The right of way from Bostan to Zhob (262 kms) was already available, he said adding that, the alignment would further connect with Kotla Jam (an existing station on Shershah-Kundian Line) from D.I Khan.
He said the overall length of line would be 472 kms and estimated cost would be around Rs. 252 billion. The feasibility study for this link was carried out during 2003-04 which is now being revalidated.
