ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways has carried out track rehabilitation work on its 14 different routes across the country during the last five years, under various Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) projects.
“The routes included Karachi-Hyderabad, Kotri-Dadu, Dera Murad Jamali-Sibi, Khanpur-Multan, Lodhran-Pakpattan, Faisalabad-Sheikhupura, Multan-Lahore, Lahore-Lalamusa, Peshawar-Attock City, Islamabad-Rawalpindi, Multan-Kot Addu, Kot Addu-Mianwali, Sibi-Khost and Hyderabad-Rohri- Khanpur,” an official told APP.
Pakistan Railways has rehabilitated 789.34 kilometer track for removing temporary speed restrictions and increasing speeds for ensuring sustainable train operation, he added.
Giving provinces wise list of the rehabilitated track by the Pakistan Railways, he said 397.05 km track rehabilitated in Punjab, 215.60 km in Sindh, 23.69 km in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 153.00 km in Balochistan.To a question, he said that restoration of 134 kilometer long track and other allied works on Sibi-Khost line was nearing completion.
He said that Quetta-Taftan section is part of ML-III and feasibility study for its up-gradation at a speed of 160/120 KMH is under process which will be completed within the current financial year 2017-18.
“This section has been earmarked for up-gradation under public private partnership on build–operate–transfer (BOT) basis as well,” the official added.