ISLAMABAD – Pakistan and China have reviewed phase-1 of the Railwayproject, especially Main Line-1 (Karachi-Peshawar) at an estimated cost of$3.4 billion under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) frameworkand agreed to initiate project implementation on priority.
Official sources, however confirmed that the execution and implementationof Pakistan Railways (PR) projects with an estimated cost of $8.2 billionunder the CPEC framework will have to wait till the next government comesinto power, as it requires the final go-ahead from Executive Committee ofthe National Economic Council (ECNEC).
A delegation of CREC, lead of Chinese consortium in terms of the frameworkagreement, called on Muhammad Javed Anwar, Chairman Ministry of Railways(MoR).——————————
They discussed progress on ML-I project. Chairman, MoR, while highlightingimportance of ML-I project, informed that it is an early harvest and astrategic project of CPEC framework. The project is expected to transmuterailways system in Pakistan.
The feasibility study of preliminary design of Phase I of project has beencompleted and is in the final stages of review process so that next stepsof project implementation could be initiated on priority. Both sides alsodiscussed areas of cooperation in railways sector.
The meeting was also attended by Sun, Head of Pakistan Mission of CREC andMazhar Ali Shah, DG Planning.
Sources said that PR with its own resources has completed the feasibilitystudy and preliminary design of ML-1 to be upgraded under the CPEC projectin five years with the objective to have greater say in projectimplementations.
Railways Ministry had submitted PC-I for ten sub-projects of phase-I underthe CPEC framework at a cost of $3.4 billion to Ministry of PlanningDevelopment & Reform, and has been approved by the Central DevelopmentWorking Party (CDWP). However, Railways projects now require ECNEC’sapproval, which is possible only after the new government comes intooffice. Sources said that after the approval from ECNEC, Railways projectsunder CPEC would come into bidding process.
“There is no delay in the start of Main Line-1 project under CPEC, but itis a huge, multi-disciplinary project, at an estimated cost of $8.2 billionwhich is likely to increase on finalization of preliminary design for thebidding process”, sources added.
Due diligence and prudence, in finalization of this huge project is takingtime which is considered essential for processing the project cycle.Up-gradation of ML-I of PR (Karachi to Peshawar and Taxila to Havelian) andestablishment of dry port near Havelian is an “early harvest project” underCPEC framework and estimated to be completed by 2020.
Initially, the financial support to PR under the CPEC was estimated at $5.7billion, which were later increased to $8.2 billion after approval of thenew framework. With the up-gradation of ML-1, train’s speed will increaseto 160 km/h compared to the current 120km/h while train capacity would beincreased from the current 32 to 171 trains per day.
PR has planned to upgrade/overhaul infrastructure of ML-1 under CPECframework including track, bridges, tunnels, buildings, signaling,telecommunication systems, track maintenance system, rolling stockmaintenance and overhauling facilities, establishment of dry port nearHavelian, besides dualisation of track between Peshawar and Shahdara.