Government fails to implement Rs 70 billion project: laying rail track from Gwadar

The government has failed to implement the Rs 70 billion project to connect Gwadar deep-sea port with the country's main rail network. Despite firm directives by President General Pervez Musharraf, the Ministry of Railways has only managed to prepare a feasibility report in over three years' time.
Pakistan Railways, being economically safe and suited for long haul traffic, was tasked to establish a railway line from Gwadar connecting it with the main network at Quetta-Kohi-Taftan section.
"We have so far prepared a feasibility report to lay a new track that will connect the port with the existing railway network. There are some problems that are being sorted out to start the construction work," an official in the Railways Ministry told Business Recorder on Monday.
It is learnt that officials were considering various alternatives like Gwadar-Mastung link. This would start from Gwadar and would pass through Turbat-Hushab-Panjgor-Nag-Besima-Surab, Kalat and Mastung.
The 961 kilometres route is considered to be the shortest in length covering scattered population in the area.
The official said that one of the major reasons behind the inordinate delay in construction work was the volatile law and order situation in Balochistan.
The route runs through the central portion of restive Balochistan where a number of new roads would be built in close proximity of railway stations.
On the other hand, the proposed alignment between Hushab-Panjgur and Surab-Kalat-Mastung is difficult as the area has steep grades and sharp curves.
The government has already missed the extended deadline of June 30 for the inauguration of the multi-billion dollars port due to poor performance of communications and railways ministries.
Neither the Communications Ministry has done its job by completing required road network nor Ministry of Railway has been able to lay the necessary rail tracks.
President Pervez Musharraf is very eager to open Gwadar port as soon as possible with access to neighbouring countries.
On the Iranian border, the official said, the railway line from Quetta to Kohi-Taftan continues on to Zahidan in Iran. But an additional 600 kilometres railway line would have to be built to link it to the main Iranian railway system at Kerman.
There is no railway infrastructure in Afghanistan and a line from Quetta terminates on the border at Chaman.