Basima-Jacobabad rail project cost revised to $4.7b
Pakistan Railways' western expansion plans gathered momentum on Thursday as lawmakers were informed that the cost of the Basima-Jacobabad railway section has been re-estimated at $4.7 billion, with the acquisition of 13 acres of land already in progress, marking a key step toward improved rail connectivity in Balochistan and beyond.
The update was shared with the Senate Standing Committee on Railways amid deliberations on linking Gwadar with the national rail network, including the Main Line-1 project and prospective regional connections through ML-3.
Meanwhile, preparations to connect Gwadar with the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project have entered a critical phase, with the feasibility study for the long-planned project now complete.
The meeting, chaired by Senator Jam Saifullah Khan at Parliament House, reviewed multiple development, administrative and financial matters of PR, including the proposed Gwadar rail connectivity project and its linkage with Quetta.
Officials informed the committee that the feasibility study for connecting Gwadar to the main railway line had been completed and subsequently reviewed by an international firm. Preparations are underway to place the project before the Railway Board for formal approval.
Funding options under consideration include government resources as well as partnerships with mining companies.
Authorities said direct rail connectivity between Gwadar and Balochistan's mineral-rich regions would significantly boost mineral exports. The committee was also briefed on the possibility of linking Nokundi to ML-3, which would provide rail access to Iran, Turkey, and Russia.
Officials added that activation of the Gwadar route would reduce traffic pressure on Karachi Port.
Following the completion of the feasibility study for the Basima-Jacobabad railway section, the project cost has been re-estimated at $4.7 billion, while the acquisition process for 13 acres of land has already begun.
Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi told the committee that funding for the ML-1 project would now be secured from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), instead of China.
He said detailed designing and pre-qualification were in progress and that the project's groundbreaking was expected by July. He added that PR was adopting a public-private partnership model for its projects and that provinces had, for the first time, been formally offered participation in branch railway lines.
The meeting also witnessed strong reactions from lawmakers as Senator Rubina Khalid expressed serious frustration over matters resolved a year and a half ago being reopened, calling poor inter-ministerial coordination a waste of time and resources.
A heated exchange took place between Senator Nasir Butt and the railway minister over the cancellation of a tender.
Senator Butt demanded transparency and fixation of responsibility, while Abbasi rejected any allegation of personal favouritism, stating that the tender had been cancelled purely due to irregularities.
The committee expressed grave concern over illegal encroachments on railway land, non-implementation of Supreme Court orders and the failure to reclaim land worth billions of rupees. It recommended clearing the title of railway land and disposing of it through transparent auctions.