Pakistan Railways has demanded Rs 73 billion for 29 projects, including Rs 30.3 billion for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) related projects, under the Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) 2018-19. The government has so far released Rs 18.27 billion under PSDP for different development projects of Pakistan Railways against total budgeted allocation of Rs 42.9 billion for current fiscal year 2017-18. According to the official documents available with Business Recorder, Pakistan Railways has proposed Rs 70.5 billion for 28 ongoing projects ie 96 percent and Rs 2.5 billion against one new project ie 4 percent. According to the documents, 10 ongoing projects would be completed by end-June 2018.
The Railways has proposed Rs 26.589 billion for rolling stock availability projects, including Rs 9.589 billion for locomotives and Rs 17 billion for carriage and wagons. The documents further revealed that Railways proposed Rs 8 billion for procurement/manufacturing of 75 new locomotives, Rs 1 million for procurement of 150 DE locomotives, Rs 722 million for rehabilitation of 300 traction motors and Rs 866 million for special repair of 100 DE locomotives. Furthermore, Rs 17 billion are proposed for procurement/manufacturing of 820 high capacity bogie freight wagons and 230 passenger coaches. An amount of Rs 39 million was proposed for comprehensive feasibility study for up-gradation/rehabilitation of ML-1 and establishment of new dry port at Havelian under the CPEC in PSDP 2018-19.
The Railways further proposed Rs 41 billion for infrastructure development, including Rs 38.5 billion for tracks and Rs 3.2 billion for signaling. The Railways has also proposed Rs 1.885 billion for business development and Rs 263 million for governance related projects.
The backbone of Pakistan Railways infrastructure is Peshawar to Karachi rail line - technically called the ML-1. A memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed with China for its improvement and up-gradation. The Pakistan Railways has proposed Rs 30 billion for up-gradation of ML-1 including acquisition of land for dry port at Buldhair (CPEC). Furthermore, Rs 168 million were proposed for feasibility studies for up-gradation and extension of ML-III (CPEC).
The Railways proposed Rs 1.705 billion for rehabilitation of Railways' assets damaged at Sindh during riots of December 27-28, 2007 followed by assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The Railways proposed Rs 164 million for procurement of equipment for improved security and anti-terrorism measures.
Some of mega projects to be completed by the end-June 2018 include; rehabilitation of 27 (HGMU-30 class) diesel electric locomotives with Rs 6.558 billion, procurement/ manufacture of 585 hopper wagons and 20 bogie brake vans for coal transportation -Rs 5.86 billion for procurement / manufacture of 780 high capacity bogie (hoper) wagons and 20 bogie brake vans for coal transportation (Ph-1) with Rs 8.863 billion.
Comments
Comments are closed.