The Railways Ministry has submitted PC-I to the Planning Commission, seeking approval of Rs 3 billion for rehabilitation of Monabao-Khokhrapar railway track for resumption of rail link between India and Pakistan. Both the countries had agreed to resume rail link between Khokhrapar to Monabao during the first round of talks in December 2004, however, Islamabad had sought more time. India had proposed to start rail service from September 2005, whereas Pakistan was of the view that it has to rebuild the railway track from meter gauge to broad gauge at a cost of over Rs 2.5 billion.
The distance between Mirpurkhas to Monabao on this route is 128km, out of which a patch of up to 10km from Mirpurkhas to Zero Point has no rail track, whereas the remaining part of the track is in dilapidated condition based on the old narrow gauge system.
Nearly Rs 280 million are required for laying 10km railway track from Khokhrapar to Zero Point, whereas a handsome amount of money is required to upgrade and rehabilitate the already existing railway track from Mirpurkhas to Khokhrapar and for the facilitation of Pakistan Railways.
On the other hand, India is in a better position, as it will have to work on only 2.3km long railway track from Monabao to Zero Point.
Talking to a group of journalists here on Tuesday, Pakistan Railways Board Chairman Shakil Durrani said that the government is committed to resume link with India. "We have submitted a PC-I to the Planning Commission for approval of Rs 3 billion," he added.
When asked whether the government would approach the World Bank for financial assistance, he said that they have no such plan at the moment. The government will take the decision after approval of the PC-I, he said.
To a question about the timeframe for resumption of historic link between both the countries, Durrani said that the entire process would take two to three years.
Regarding rail link with Afghanistan, he said that a detailed feasibility has been prepared to start rail service from Chaman to Spin Boldak. "We have done our job and now it is up to both the governments when they make their minds in this regard," he said.
He said that the next feasibility would be prepared to expand rail network from Spin Boldak to Kandahar.
Expressing satisfaction over Pakistan Railways performance, Shakil Durrani said that the Railways has earned Rs 9.08 billion revenue during July-December 2004, registering an increase of Rs 2.3 billion from the previous year.
He said that Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz has directed the Railways authorities to strive hard for increasing revenue and we are moving in the right direction.
He also said that Railways overdraft from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) was reduced by Rs 704 million. The total overdraft was Rs 14 billion. He said that Railways has succeeded in attracting passengers by improving its services.
To another question about Lahore to Faisalabad rail service, he said that the government has decided dual-way railway track between both the cities.
He said that they are also preparing a feasibility report to lay 700km long railway track to link Gwadar with Quetta. Another feasibility study is going on to upgrade rail tracks between Quetta and Zhob.
To a question whether there is any plan to start metro train service, Durrani said that it is the responsibility of the provincial governments to start such services in major cities to reduce traffic congestion.
He said that the Railways would increase speed of their rails up to 140km per hour for which track rehabilitation programme has been kicked off. He said that there were 4,000 canals on encroached land in major cities of the country. The ministry has contacted two provincial governments - Sindh and NWFP - to recover the land from encroachment mafia, while the governments of Punjab and Balochistan would also be contacted soon after Eid-ul-Azha.