Pakistan Railway Projects.

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Railways to invite tenders for ML-1 on Sept 12

Shahram Haq
September 06, 2020



LAHORE:The Pakistan Railways is going to invite international tenders for the Main Line-One (ML-1) project on September 12. The ML-I is one of the major projects under the multi-billion dollar China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“We are going to open the international tenders of the ML-1 on September 12. It is good news for the Pakistan Railways,” Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid said at a press conference in Punjab’s provincial capital on Saturday.

He said the railways management will simultaneously initiate the publicity of this mega project which it believes is the only way to revive the ailing public sector corporation.

The framework agreement for ML-1 was signed on May 15, 2017 during the visit of Pakistani premier to China. Since then the railways management had been eagerly waiting for the project’s final approval which the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) gave on August 5.

The price of the ML-1 project has been downward revised to $6.8 billion. Earlier, the project cost around $8.2 billion. The entire ML-1 covers a 1,872km track and includes laying a new track and upgrading the previous one to ensure 160km per hour speed.

It also includes rehabilitation and construction of bridges, provision of modern signaling and telecom systems, conversion of level crossings into underpasses and flyovers and fencing of the entire track
It is expected that once completed, railways passenger traffic will be doubled which currently stands at 50 million on this track.

“We will do our best to act as per the orders of Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Gulzar Ahmed who directed the PR to complete this work,” he added.

The KCR project is also included in CPEC mass transit’s section and it is expected that the prime minister will announce complete rehabilitation of the KCR under the Karachi Rehabilitation Project.

The minister said the Pakistan Railways is also ready to dispatch imported wheat. “There are some technical issues which are yet to be resolved soon in executing this particular project. Hopefully those will be resolved and railways will be used as a mode for transporting for imported wheat.”

He said the railways will also provide its services for transporting the newly introduced Euro-5 fuel.

“We do have the containers to transport this new fuel to different parts of the country. Railways infrastructure will be used for this purpose which will be a win-win solution,” he added.

 

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Half set-up of railways headquarter will shift to Karachi: Sheikh Rashid

https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/online
Online
September 06, 2020

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid has said that Karachi is going to change under the leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. We will organize railways across the country, shift the half railways headquarter to Karachi.
In Lahore, Railway Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed hosted a dinner in Mayo Garden in honor of the outgoing railway officers.
Addressing on the occasion, Sheikh Rashid said that Imran Khan today announced a package of Rs 1100 billion for Karachi.
He said that if the package announced by the Prime Minister was implemented in the true sense of the word, the people of Karachi would breathe a sigh of relief.
He said that people want government to solve their problems, the country's politics and the situation in Karachi is changing.
Sheikh Rashid also said that he would ask the young officers of Railways to come forward, we also have to work on ML-1 and make Lahore, Karachi equal.

 

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https://twitter.com/x/status/1311226290926686208

 

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12kms trial run to precede KCR revival

Sindh, Centre discuss strategy for launching circular railway project


October 03, 2020


Only Chinese companies would participate in the bidding for contracts for all civil and engineering work and would earn a profit of up to 20% to 25% on their investments.


KARACHI: The federal and Sindh governments have agreed to start trial runs of local trains within 12 kilometres during the next two months and then plan how to synchronize it with the modern circular railways system in the next phase.

The decision was taken in a meeting held between Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday to chalk out a strategy for launching the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project.

The federal minister was assisted by Federal P&D Secretary Mathar Niaz, Railways Secretary Habibur Rehman, Additional P&D Secretary Rafiq Chandna, KCR Project Director Ameer Mohammad, Railways Planning DG Imran Mishal, and Karachi DC Arshad Salam Khatak.

The chief minister was assisted by Minister Transport Awais Qadir Shah, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Advocate General Sindh Salman Talibuddin, P&D Chairman M Wasem, Karachi Administrator Iftikhar Shahalwalni, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Karachi Commissioner Sohail Rajput, Finance Secretary Hassan Naqvi, Transport Secretary Sharik and Additional CM Secretary Badaruddin Shaikh.

The KCR was commissioned in 1964 and remained in operation until 1984. It was abandoned in 1999, as it had lost its operational efficiency.

The relaunch of the project was agreed in a recent meeting of the Council of Common Interests (CCI) in order to implement the directive of the Supreme Court.

During the meeting, Chief Minister Murad said that the Sindh government had approved the initial feasibility for the KCR revival in 2006. Then the project was to be undertaken through the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), which revised the feasibility.

Murad said that the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) revised the feasibility of $2.6 billion in 2012, adding that the JICA remained engaged in the project from 2006 to 2012 but the agreed financing arrangements could not materialise.

The matter was taken up with the then prime minister in December 2016, with a request for including the KCR in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) framework and the issuance of sovereign guarantee for its revitalisation.

According to the chief minister, the prime minister also requested to hand over the Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) and the right of way to it to the Sindh government for construction and management of the KCR.

“The prime minister approved all of the requests, and for handover of ROW [right of way], a committee was formed,” the chief minister told the meeting. “I personally followed up at every stage and wrote a dozen letters to the federal government on the matter.”

The KCR loop has an overlapping section of 12 kilometres with the Pakistan Railways’ Mainline (ML)-1 project launched under the CPEC framework. He said that Ecnec approved the project in 2017, at a cost of Rs207.6 billion ($1.97 billion) through Chinese loan.

The total length of the KCR is 43.13, including 14.95 kilometres on the ground and 28.18 kilometres elevated. It will have 24 stations and is expected to ferry around 550,000 passengers every day. Murad said that the project was supposed to be completed within 36 months.

 

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Karachi Circular Railway to be completed in three phases:
https://nation.com.pk/NewsSource/online
October 05, 2020


Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed has said Karachi Circular Railway will be completed in three phases.

Speaking at a ceremony in Islamabad on Monday, he said Railway Carriage Factory Islamabad will have an important role in ensuring Karachi Circular Railway.

The Minister said Main Line One railway project will prove to be an important milestone in development of railway in the country.

 

[ghazi52]

The locomotive with 7 coaches for #Karachi Circular Railway is finally ready.

Coaches will be equipped with charging facilities, Wifi, TV, GPS system, Train stoppage information system and advanced washroom facility.

 

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Balochistan wants rail-based projects under CPEC

The Frontier Post
October 11, 2020


QUETTA: Government of Balochistan requests Federal Ministry of Communication, Islamabad for inclusion of Balochistan-based-rail-project in CPEC.

A letter of Planning and Development Department, Government of Balochistan addressed to Secretary, Ministry of Communication, Government of Pakistan, Islamabad states, “The 10th meeting of the Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is likely to be held in the last quarter of 2020. The Government of Balochistan appreciates the progress being made with regards to CPEC projects, especially the inclusion of ML-1 project as a deliverable for the upcoming JCC meeting.

“The Early Harvest Phase of CPEC has come to an end. During this phase, not even a single infrastructure project in Balochistan was completed through financing from CPEC. Construction work on the eastern alignment of CPEC is nearly complete. In contrast, progress on the western alignment of CPEC in Balochistan is negligible.

“According to the Monographic Study on Transport Planning (2015-30)- which was conducted jointly by the Government of Pakistan and approved by the 5th Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) in 2015, the nearly 750-KM long N-50 road from Surab to Dera Ismail Khan via Quetta and Zhob was supposed to be upgraded into a four-lane highway by 2020.

“Now that the focus is shifting from upgradation of roads to railways and industrial development, the Balochistan province is being ignored again.

“The Pakistan Railway Mainline-I (ML-I) project was recently approved by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) at a cost of $ 6.806 Billion (equal to rupees 11.44 trillion) for implementation under the umbrella of CPEC.

“According to the Monographic Study on Transport Planning (2015-30), the following rail projects were supposed to be undertaken in Balochistan in the medium and long- term phase (2021-2030 of CPEC (i) Construction of a railway line from Gwadar to Sukkur via Khuzdar and Jacobabad (ii) Construction of a railway line from Gwadar to Quetta via Besima (iii) Construction of a railway line from Quetta to Kotla-Jam via Zhob and Dera Ismail Khan.

“Feasibility studies for these rail projects were conducted by the Federal Ministry of Railways over the past couple of years.

‘The Government of Balochistan sought update on the status of these studies both in the meetings of Joint Working Group on Transport Infrastructure as well as through a formal letter addressed to the Federal Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives (MPDSI) (Reference No. P&D-CPEC/2018-L-36, dated 31st October, 2019).

“The Government of Balochistan hereby formally proposes the inclusion of the following projects for consideration and approval in the Joint Working Group on Transport Infrastructure; (i) Railway Line from Gwadar to Sukkur via Khuzdar and Jacobabad (ii) Railway Line from Gwadar to Quetta via Besima.

“The Chair of the Joint Working on Transport Infrastructure is kindly requested to recommend inclusion of the above mentioned rail projects in the agenda of the upcoming JCC meeting. These projects will significantly improve connectivity of Gwadar with markets and enhance the port’s commercial viability.”

 

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Pakistan Railways Concrete Sleeper Factory Khanewal

Dec 13, 2020

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Karachi-Gwadar , Coastal Railway Project would be great for Tourism between two cities
Lot of interest in people to travel for 2-3 Days visit to Gwadar area for Cheap Tourism desitination

 

[ghazi52]

Islamabad Tehran Istanbul freight train to resume operations in 2021. This train will connect Asia with Europe, the total length of the Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul project is 6500 (km).

Iran: 2600 km
Turkey: 1950 km
Pakistan: 1990 km

 

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Taftan Railway Station
Entrance to Pakistan

 

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In light of the impending rise in the use of Electric Vehicles (EVs) across the country, Pakistan Railways has decided to set up electric charging stations on its land across Pakistan.

Industry experts suggest that following the introduction of the EV Policy in Pakistan, there is a possibility of significant developments in the sector.

Pakistan Railways will offer several of its areas across the country to establish EV charging points. For this purpose, its ministry has suggested the use of its entire network and all of its stations

 

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China seeks additional guarantees for $6b new loan

China has sought additional guarantees before sanctioning $6 billion loan for Main Line-1 (ML-1) project due to weakening financial position of Pakistan and also proposed a mix of commercial and concessional loan against Islamabad’s desire to secure the cheapest lending.

The issue of additional guarantees was raised during the third joint ML-1 financing committee meeting, held ten days ago, official documents said.

However, a senior Pakistani official involved in negotiations said that China did raise the additional guarantees issue during meeting but it did not make it part of the draft of the minutes shared with Pakistan.

The ML-1 project includes dualisation and upgrading of the 1,872km railway track from Peshawar to Karachi and is a major milestone for the second phase of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The purpose of raising the additional guarantees issue was getting more clarity after Pakistan availed G-20 countries debt relief initiative, he added. The draft minutes have not yet been signed by both the countries.

The third round of financial negotiations gave further clarity on the Chinese position on $6 billion lending for the $6.8 billion strategically important ML-1 project of Pakistan Railways, sources in the Ministry of Economic Affairs said.

The Chinese authorities asked for additional guarantee mechanism after Islamabad sought debt relief from G-20 countries, which was only meant for poorest nations of the world.

The G-2- nations have also imposed conditions that the poor countries would not secure expensive commercial loans, except those allowed under the IMF-WB framework.

The Chinese authorities have proposed that “keeping in view the financial situation in Pakistan so also the conditions laid down by the G-20 re

 

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ML-1 to speed Pakistani exports, increase revenue: PM


Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan has said that the CPEC’s Main Line -1 (ML-1) project is set to shape road networks amongst sea ports of Pakistan and expedite exports by reducing at time of delivery, while the speedy delivery of exports to international markets will translate into revenue generation for Pakistan.

Chairing the project’s project survey session in the federal capital on Monday, the premier expressed satisfaction on the progress made so far.

The PM was briefed at length about the project by the Ministry of Railways and CPEC Authority chairman among other authorities concerned while Federal Railways Minister Azam Khan Swati expanded on the integration plan of ML-1.

The premier said that the ML-1 project will lay the foundation of an industry that will guarantee prosperity for Pakistan and employments, adding that it is by far the costliest project of CPEC.

 

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Brief History of “Pakistan Railways"

The idea of a rail network was first thought of in 1847, with the possibility of Karachi becoming a major seaport. Sir Henry Edward Frere, who was appointed as the Commissioner of Sindh, sought permission from Lord Dalhousie to begin a survey for a Karachi Seaport and a survey for a railway line in 1858. The proposed railway line would be laid from Karachi (city) to Kotri. A steamboat service on the Indus and Chenab rivers would connect Kotri to Multan and from there another railway line would be laid to Lahore and beyond.

On 13 May 1861, the first railway line was opened to the public, between Karachi and Kotri, with a total length of 169 kilometres (105 mi). A Lahore-Multan 336 kilometres (209 mi) railway line was opened for traffic on 24 April 1865. On 6 October 1876 three bridges on the Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers were completed and a Lahore-Jhelum railway line opened. On 1 July 1878 a Lodhran-Pano Akil 334 kilometres (208 mi) section was inaugurated.

By 1885, there were four railway companies operating in what would become Pakistan: Scinde (Sindh) Railways, Indian Flotilla Company, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railways. These were amalgamated into the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railways Company and purchased by the Secretary of State for India in 1885, and in January 1886 formed the North Western State Railway, which was later on renamed North Western Railway (NWR). It was renamed Pakistan Western Railway in February 1961 and Pakistan Railways in May 1974.


It was the year 1857 when the idea was suggested by William Andrew (Chairman of Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway) that the railways to the Bolan Pass would have a strategic role in responding to any threat by Russia. During the second Afghan War (1878–80) between Britain and Afghanistan, there was a new need to construct a railway line up to Quetta in order to get easier access to the frontier.

On 18 September 1879, under the orders of the Viceroyal council, work began on laying the railway tracks, and after four months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi the terrain was very difficult. After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.

On 27 October 1878 a Kotri-Sukkur railway line on west bank of Indus river was opened for traffic. The Lansdowne Bridge over the Indus connecting Rohri and Sukkur was inaugurated on 25 March 1889. The completion of this bridge connected Karachi with Peshawar by rail.

By 1898, as the network began to grow, another proposed railway line from Peshawar to Karachi was in the works. It closely followed the route taken by Alexander the Great and his army while marching through the Hindu Kush to the Arabian Sea. During the early 20th century, railway lines were also laid down between Peshawar and Rawalpindi and Rawalpindi to Lahore.

Different sections on the existing mainline from Peshawar and branch lines were constructed in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early 20th century. months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, the terrain was very difficult.

After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.tta.

In 1947, at the time of independence, 3,133 route kilometres (1,947 mi) of the North Western Railway were transferred to India, leaving 8,122 route kilometres (5,048 mi) to Pakistan. Of this 6,880 route kilometres (4,280 mi) were 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in), 506 kilometres (314 mi) were 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in), and 736 kilometres (457 mi) were 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge.


It was the year 1857 when the idea was suggested by William Andrew (Chairman of Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway) that the railways to the Bolan Pass would have a strategic role in responding to any threat by Russia. During the second Afghan War (1878–80) between Britain and Afghanistan, there was a new need to construct a railway line up to Quetta in order to get easier access to the frontier.

On 18 September 1879, under the orders of the Viceroyal council, work began on laying the railway tracks, and after four months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, the terrain was very difficult. After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.tta.nally reached Quetta.
Brief History of “Pakistan Railways"

The idea of a rail network was first thought of in 1847, with the possibility of Karachi becoming a major seaport. Sir Henry Edward Frere, who was appointed as the Commissioner of Sindh, sought permission from Lord Dalhousie to begin a survey for a Karachi Seaport and a survey for a railway line in 1858. The proposed railway line would be laid from Karachi (city) to Kotri. A steamboat service on the Indus and Chenab rivers would connect Kotri to Multan and from there another railway line would be laid to Lahore and beyond.

On 13 May 1861, the first railway line was opened to the public, between Karachi and Kotri, with a total length of 169 kilometres (105 mi). A Lahore-Multan 336 kilometres (209 mi) railway line was opened for traffic on 24 April 1865. On 6 October 1876 three bridges on the Ravi, Chenab and Jhelum rivers were completed and a Lahore-Jhelum railway line opened. On 1 July 1878 a Lodhran-Pano Akil 334 kilometres (208 mi) section was inaugurated.

By 1885, there were four railway companies operating in what would become Pakistan: Scinde (Sindh) Railways, Indian Flotilla Company, Punjab Railway and Delhi Railways. These were amalgamated into the Scinde, Punjab & Delhi Railways Company and purchased by the Secretary of State for India in 1885, and in January 1886 formed the North Western State Railway, which was later on renamed North Western Railway (NWR). It was renamed Pakistan Western Railway in February 1961 and Pakistan Railways in May 1974.


It was the year 1857 when the idea was suggested by William Andrew (Chairman of Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway) that the railways to the Bolan Pass would have a strategic role in responding to any threat by Russia. During the second Afghan War (1878–80) between Britain and Afghanistan, there was a new need to construct a railway line up to Quetta in order to get easier access to the frontier.

On 18 September 1879, under the orders of the Viceroyal council, work began on laying the railway tracks, and after four months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi the terrain was very difficult. After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.

On 27 October 1878 a Kotri-Sukkur railway line on west bank of Indus river was opened for traffic. The Lansdowne Bridge over the Indus connecting Rohri and Sukkur was inaugurated on 25 March 1889. The completion of this bridge connected Karachi with Peshawar by rail.

By 1898, as the network began to grow, another proposed railway line from Peshawar to Karachi was in the works. It closely followed the route taken by Alexander the Great and his army while marching through the Hindu Kush to the Arabian Sea. During the early 20th century, railway lines were also laid down between Peshawar and Rawalpindi and Rawalpindi to Lahore.

Different sections on the existing mainline from Peshawar and branch lines were constructed in the last quarter of the 19th century and the early 20th century. months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, the terrain was very difficult.

After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.tta.

In 1947, at the time of independence, 3,133 route kilometres (1,947 mi) of the North Western Railway were transferred to India, leaving 8,122 route kilometres (5,048 mi) to Pakistan. Of this 6,880 route kilometres (4,280 mi) were 1,676 mm (5 ft 6 in), 506 kilometres (314 mi) were 1,000 mm (3 ft 3 3⁄8 in), and 736 kilometres (457 mi) were 2 ft 6 in (762 mm) narrow gauge.


It was the year 1857 when the idea was suggested by William Andrew (Chairman of Scinde, Punjab and Delhi Railway) that the railways to the Bolan Pass would have a strategic role in responding to any threat by Russia. During the second Afghan War (1878–80) between Britain and Afghanistan, there was a new need to construct a railway line up to Quetta in order to get easier access to the frontier.

On 18 September 1879, under the orders of the Viceroyal council, work began on laying the railway tracks, and after four months the first 215 km of the line from Ruk to Sibi was completed; it became operational in January 1880. Beyond Sibi, the terrain was very difficult. After immense difficulties and harsh weather conditions, it was March 1887 when the railway line, over 320 km long, finally reached Quetta.tta.nally reached Quetta.