Pakistan Railways General Manager (Operations) Saleem-ur-Rahman Akhund has said that standard gauge railway track will be gradually laid down in the country. Talking to PTV he said, presently, trains were being run on standard gauge railway track world-wide. Only in India and Pakistan broad gauge railway track is used, he added.
He said, broad gauge railway line has five feet six inch width between both rails while standard gauge railway line has four feet eight inch width.
He said, with the introduction of standard gauge in Pakistan, many advantages can be availed like locomotives and carriages can be imported on economic price. These can also be produced in the country under transfer of technology with less expenditure, he added.
Special engines and carriages are produced for broad gauge railway track, he said adding the country has a vast railway network of broad gauge railway line and it cannot immediately be changed with standard gauge. New tracks to be laid down in the country will be of standard gauge, he added.
He said, standard gauge railway tracks would gradually be laid down in the country.
To a question he said, special attention was being given towards safety measures. That is why, track rehabilitation program is being initiated in the country.
Certain measures are being taken to make railway journey safer and secure.
He said that under the track rehabilitation plan, 2,083-km track will be improved at a cost of Rs 9.4 billion by 31 December 2007 and would also include up-gradation of level crossings, rehabilitation of bridges and fences.
Track from Lodhran to Khanewal will be dualised at a cost of Rs 3.29 billion and it was scheduled to be completed by the end of this year. It will also include modern signal equipment at a cost of Rs 1.2 billion. The dualisation of 246 KM Khanewal-Raiwind track will cost Rs 5.5 billion and completed by June next year, he added.
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