KARACHI: A meeting on Tuesday was held between Federal Secretary Railways, Mazhar Ali Shah and Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah, to discuss various railway projects, including ML-1 and the Thar Coal Railway Line.
During the meeting, Secretary Railways provided a briefing on the progress of the Thar Coal Railway project.
He stated that the Thar Coal Railway would become operational by October 2025.
The railway network will have the capacity to transport 10 million tons of coal annually, facilitating the supply of affordable energy to power projects across the country.
Chief Secretary emphasised the importance of the Thar Coal Railway Line, stating that it would allow for the transportation of coal from Thar to Port Qasim, Lucky, and other power plants.
He added that utilising the full potential of Thar coal would bring economic benefits to the country and help reduce electricity prices by replacing imported coal with locally sourced Thar coal.
Chief Secretary also mentioned that the Government of Sindh is providing land for the Thar Coal Railway Line, ensuring timely progress of the project.
Furthermore, Secretary Railways informed that work on the Karachi to Hyderabad package of the ML-1 Line would begin soon. The completion of the high-speed ML-1 will resolve transportation and cargo issues across the country.
He emphasised the importance of ML-1 in modernizing Pakistan’s transport infrastructure.
The meeting was also attended by the Secretary Energy, Senior Member Board of Revenue, DS Railways, and other officials.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024