CDWP clears Rs37b plan for purchase of railway coaches

Overall, the committee clears more than a dozen projects with Rs102b investment

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Monday cleared over a dozen development projects with an investment of Rs102 billion including schemes for investment in Pakistan Railways and Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan.

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) cleared these schemes during a meeting chaired by Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal. The CDWP recommended a Rs36.9-billion project for procurement of 830 high-capacity bogie freight wagons and 250 passenger coaches for final approval of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec).



These passenger coaches fitted with modern bogies will be able to run at a speed of 160 kilometres per hour. With an investment of $8 billion, to be made with the cooperation of China, Pakistan is in the process of rehabilitating the obsolete railway infrastructure that will double existing rail speed to 160 km per hour.

The CDWP also recommended the Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan to Ecnec, which would be completed at a cost of Rs36.2 billion.

A water distribution network for Rawalpindi and Chaklala cantonments was also approved with an investment of Rs880.5 million.

While talking about Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan, the planning minister instructed officials to constitute a committee comprising government representatives, professional consultants, stakeholders and representatives of the country’s citizens so that Rs36 billion could be utilised efficiently.

The minister said the project was very important to take care of environment, reduce pollution and support the fishery department. He also asked the provincial government to ensure timely completion of the project.

In the energy sector, the CDWP recommended a project worth Rs8.4 billion to Ecnec for approval. The project comprises a new 200-kilovolt single-circuit twin-bundle rail conductor transmission line.

It is proposed to be constructed from Guddu to Sibbi via Shikarpur and Uch power plants. It will serve as a substitute to the existing pole transmission line, which has deteriorated due to the completion of its useful life.

The CDWP approved two projects in the health sector costing Rs4.7 billion for building the Gilgit Institute of Nuclear Medicine, Oncology and Radiotherapy and Gujranwala Institute of Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy. The projects will result in the establishment of a cancer  treatment facility in Gilgit, Gujranwala and its surroundings. The projects will cater to preventive as well as curative care.The minister directed that patients should be facilitated without any inconvenience in the treatment process.

The CDWP approved four projects worth Rs43.8 billion under the transport and communications sector, which included rehabilitation, upgrading and widening of the Quetta-Dadher section of N-65 at a cost of Rs7.3 billion.



The project will help increase inter-provincial access for Sindh, link some major cities with the rest of the country and will play a key role in economic development of the country.

The CDWP also approved construction, rehabilitation, improvement and widening of the Kalash Valley road spread over 47.93 km at a cost of Rs4.7 billion. The project has been taken up as per announcement of the prime minister during his visit to Chitral.

The CDWP approved construction of staff quarters for Pakistan Railways at a cost of Rs788 million. It approved the construction of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) Unit in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa with a cost of Rs600 million. The project will translate the SDGs framework into concrete plans and interventions at provincial and district-level planning by establishing short and medium-term goals rather than only having end targets.

The CDWP approved the Science Talent Farming Scheme for Undergraduates in the education sector worth Rs2.9 billion. The project is aimed at grooming and capacity-building of young students in natural science and mathematics.

The main theme of the scheme is that scholars who are outstanding in their studies could be productive scientists for future by developing critical thinking skills  instead of rote learning.

The minister instructed officials of the Higher Education Commission to ensure consolidation of resources. He insisted that projects must be completed with efficient and effective use of time and resources.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 25^th, 2017.

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