Revised PC-1 of rail project sent for approval
Planning Commission has asked Ministry of Railways to provide per-unit cost breakdown of total project cost and reasons for 45% increase. photo: file
The Ministry of Railways, acting upon interim Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar's directive, has forwarded the revised PC-1 of the multi-billion dollar Mainline-1 (ML-1) project to the Ministry of Planning. Following this, the PC-1 will undergo a presentation before the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for approval.
The overall project cost is estimated at $6.67 billion and will be executed in two phases. The revised PC-1 outlines that the initial phase, encompassing track of 930 kilometers, will be constructed within five years. The cost for the track development in this first phase is calculated at $3159.7 million. Package One comprises a 397-kilometer track, including Nowshera, Rohri, Khanpur, and PR Walton, while Package Two extends for 533 kilometers.
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Package Two encompasses a track from Karachi to Nawabshah (296 kilometers) and from Khanpur to Multan (237 kilometers), with a total expenditure of $3,159 million. The second phase of ML-1 incurs a cost of $3,518.8 million, covering a track length of 796 kilometers. In this phase, Package Three connects Multan to Lahore (334 kilometers) with an expenditure of $799 million.
Package Four of the second phase covers tracks from Lahore to Rawalpindi (288 kilometers) and Rawalpindi to Peshawar (174 kilometers), also including the Havelian Dry Port. The total cost stands at $2,719 million, and completion is expected within four years. PC-1 refers to Planning Commission Form 1, serving as a comprehensive project document detailing project needs, description, justification, location, duration, cost estimates, and anticipated benefits.