Railways ministry to soon complete PC-1

Approximately 200 acres of additional land are being acquired under another PC-I

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Railways will soon submit PC-1 for linking new rail tracks after completion of feasibility report on various routes of Pakistan Railways.

The new tracks in Balochistan under the umbrella of China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) will link Gwadar with Mastung via Basima (906 kilometres) and Basima with Jacobabad through Khuzdar (300km), a long-term project envisaged for 2025-30.

“A feasibility study of both routes is being conducted,” an official of the PR said.

"The study is in advance stages and upon completion, the PC-I will be prepared for approval from the competent forum."

Various land parcels required for the implementation of the project have been identified under the feasibility study. At present, acquisition of land in Gwadar is in progress. In this regard 285 acres for Railways Station and Container Yard and 73.68 acres for Right of Way (RoW) have been acquired under approved PC-I (Rs1332.502 million).

Approximately, 200 acres additional land for Railways Station and Container Yard besides 27.350 acres RoW are being acquired under another PC-I submitted to the Ministry of Railways for which Rs5 million has been allocated by the Planning Commission during the current financial year 2017-18.

He further informed that the existing railways line from Rohri to Kohi-Taftan via Quetta, is also being upgraded.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 8^th, 2018o