Islamabad:
The Karachi-Rohri section will be the most vital segment of the Mainline (ML) -1 project with regard to shipping with Central Asia and Russia, as well as providing transport connection to Thar-Kul and Reko DIQ mines, Railway’s minister Hanif Abbasi said Friday.
When he spoke with journalists outside the House of Parliament, the minister said a larger cargo route from Lahore to Russia via Rohri, Zahedan and then in Tajikistan had been prepared, but its launch was delayed due to 12-day between Iran and Israel.
Abbasi highlighted the called the ML-1 segment between Karachi and Rohri the most challenging part. “If necessary, I will personally request the Prime Minister and Chief Minister of Sindh to allocate funds to secure its end,” he said.
“This section is crucial to the success of future projects such as Thar Coal Transportation, Reko DIQ project, shipping with Central Asia and Russia, and the realization of the larger Asian rail link,” he said, adding that the ML-2 and ML-3 lines were just as important to Pakistan’s financial uplifting.
The Minister revealed that a major international shipping initiative – an Lahore railway to Zahedan via Rohri, which stretched to Tajikistan and Russia – had been prepared. “Had it not been for the war, this international loading train would have rolled out on June 22,” he noted.
He declared that $ 5 million had been awarded in the budget to improve the regional railway contrary with Uzbekistan. “The country’s development is directly linked to the modernization of the railway system,” Abbasi said, confirming his decision to deliver Prime Minister Shehbaz’s vision.
To a question, he said he would visit Karachi on July 6 and meet with Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to discuss the province’s requirements for branch lines. “We aim to build the same kind of coordination with Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa [K-P] As we have with Punjab and Balochistan, ”he said.
In the apartment, the minister shared updates on rail development projects in Balochistan, where they said stations in Sibi and Machh was upgraded and many such projects had already been implemented or were underway.
Abbasi highlighted major improvements in the facilities delivered to passengers. “People who buy tickets worth RS12,000 to RS14,000 deserve better travel conditions,” he said. “With the cooperation from the Punjab government, free Wi-Fi systems are delivered to 40 stations,” he said.
“We will install digital sales systems (POS) systems and ATMs at 348 stations across the country.” These digital initiatives will not only increase revenue but also improve passenger facilitation, ”the minister added.
“Previously waited passengers in cows for hours. They were asked to bring cash. Now, with digital payment machines and ATMs, we are removing these obstacles,” the minister said. “The railways are moved toward digitalization.”
He said that a comprehensive plan was drawn up for recovery and optimal utilization of the large land assets of the railways, which would be presented to the Prime Minister. He noted that many interventions had already been removed.
When he talked about the other segments of the railway track, the minister said the Punjab chief minister had allocated over RS350 billion to upgrade the Lahore-rawalpindi section and various other branches. The Balochistani government has also awarded RS3 billion to the Saryab and Kuchlak area.
He also highlighted upgrades of infrastructures, including the construction of three international standard railway stations and modernization of Quetta Station. “Quetta’s station has been upgraded and a diesel multiple unit (NERI) train will soon begin operations in the city,” he said.
