The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) on Monday approved the Replacement of Track Machines project, which envisaged procurement of track lifting, levelling, aligning and tamping machine with integrated stabiliser and self-propelled track inspection and recording car.
The approval was given in a meeting chaired by Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan.
The Ministry of Railways will execute the project at a total cost of Rs7.4 billion, which will be financed through the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).
The cost of the machinery includes the cost of spare parts for three years.
Railways secretary apprised the meeting that the objective of the project was to strengthen and modernise the existing track infrastructure maintenance machinery by deploying latest machines and equipment all over the operating division, especially Mainline-1, besides other important projects such as Mainline-2 and Mainline-3 and tertiary lines as envisaged in the National Transport Policy of Pakistan, 2018.
“In view of the increasing freight and coal business, reliability and safety of track infrastructure is the need of the hour, which can be achieved through modern equipment/ machines and timely replacement of track machines,” the secretary said while giving a detailed briefing.
CDWP also discussed the policy issues related to financing of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for green recovery to set the modalities of engineering, procurement and construction criteria for better project development, consultancy framework and techno-economic feasibility.
The meeting made decisions to improve the project appraisal criteria. It was agreed that PSDP financing would be diverted from infrastructure development to support economic growth and digital space to give opportunities for the private sector to invest in infrastructure projects from next financial year.
The meeting was attended by members of the Planning Commission and other relevant stakeholders.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 22nd, 2022.
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