Rehabilitation of railway infrastructure

Pakistan Railways is reported to have sought funding of at least Rs 30 billion from the government for the rehabilitation of old tracks, replacement of obsolete signalling system and maintenance of bridges, many of which are in a very poor state.
A Recorder Report quoting a Railway Ministry source says that Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, while briefing Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz a few days ago, had sought funding of Rs 12 billion for the replacement of the signalling system from Karachi to Peshawar, Rs 15 billion for the rehabilitation of old train tracks, and Rs 3 billion for the maintenance of main line bridges.
The existing signalling system does not meet the safety requirements of higher speed, nor does it fulfil the needs of a growing train traffic density. Therefore, the system is full of grave risks, which may lead to major disasters. Alarmingly, about 80 percent of 15,000 railway bridges in the country have reportedly completed their mandated life span, and could become causes of serious tragedies.
According to a senior railway official, a modern signalling system is an essential prerequisite for ensuing safety of the travelling public, increased transportation efficiency, and enhanced capacity for higher speed. All over the world, railways has a decided edge over road transport for long and bulk haulage, and mass scale traffic volume, because of its being safe and more economical than any other mode of transportation.
At the time of independence, Pakistan had inherited efficient rolling stock and a railway network that served the country's logistic needs well for decades. Although substantial progress has been achieved in extending and improving the existing road network in the country, a headway in expansion of railway infrastructure has so far proved elusive.
Modernisation of railway infrastructure, including the renovation and reconstruction of old bridges and rehabilitation of worn-down tracks alone, can open for the country new vistas of expanded trade at the regional and global levels in the post-WTO environment.
While G.T. Road, other highways and motorways have come to play a greater role in passenger and freight transportation, the railway continues to be the only, though most neglected, mass transit system in the country. It offers the cheapest freight rates among other benefits. This makes investment in upgradation of railway infrastructure particularly essential. Globalisation has, meanwhile, generated economic integration at regional and global levels by throwing up unprecedented inter-state trade openings. Obviously, our century old railway infrastructure cannot meet the needs of fast-track requirements of the 21st century.
Unfortunately, there has been only a negligible expansion in Pakistan Railways' route mileage, which was 4,999 in 1947, and had increased by only 2,792 miles by the year 2003-04. As against this, the total road length in the country at present stands at 181,836 kilometers. Viewed in the larger perspective, this reflects a lack of attention that has led to the gradual decline of Pakistan Railways. Incidentally, much of the existing railway infrastructure dates back to the nineteenth century, when the British had laid down an elaborate network of rail tracks across the length and breadth of the subcontinent, largely from a defence and administrative perspective.
Sending back home the spoils of colonialism was another motivating factor. Successive governments since then have done precious little to expand or modernise the railway infrastructure. Last year Pakistan Railways had unveiled a plan to initiate a phased 960-km track extension project to connect Gwadar seaport with Mastung.
To our knowledge this was the first ever railway mega project unveiled by the government in the history of the country. With the phenomenal increase in the speed of railway trains, strength of the tracks and efficiency of the signalling system shall assume far greater importance than in the past for the safety of passengers and freight. Replacing both the signalling system and old tracks is therefore as crucial and important as the rehabilitation/reconstruction of old bridges.
The government should arrange Rs 30 billion funding for the rehabilitation and modernisation of railway infrastructure in the country because this could contribute towards high growth efforts in an effective and meaningful manner. Secondly, the mega project should be implemented on a fast-track basis, and should not be allowed to slip into the slow-motion implementation that has become the fate of our hydropower projects. Internationally recognised standards of construction should be scrupulously observed, and it must be ensured that no pilferage of the allocated funds takes place at any stage.