PR launches major track upgradation

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan Railways has launched an extensive programme to upgrade aging rail infrastructure, expand the network and restore long-neglected sections, with the objective of improving safety, reducing travel time and strengthening national connectivity.

"The department owns a total of 11,881 track kilometers and 7,791 route kilometers across the country, adding that nearly 67 percent of the existing track has become over-aged," an official in the Ministry of Railways.

Despite limited investment in railway infrastructure for more than seven decades, the official said, Pakistan Railways has continued to maintain operations to ensure sustainable service delivery.

The official said the Ministry has recognized the deteriorating condition of railway tracks and is making substantial efforts to improve infrastructure through revenue generation and funding under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

At the planning stage, the official said Pakistan Railways has proposed large-scale upgradation of branch lines with financial support from the provincial governments of Punjab, Sindh and Balochistan.

In Punjab, the official said seven sections spanning over 1,400 kilometers are planned for upgradation, including the Shahdara–Narowal–Sialkot, Raiwind–Kasur–Pakpatan–Lodhran and Kot Adu–Dera Ghazi Khan–Kasmor Colony routes.

In Sindh, six sections covering nearly 1,000 kilometers—such as Karachi–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Rohri and Kotri–Dadu—have been proposed for improvement. While in Balochistan, the Sariab–Quetta–Kuchlak section is also included in the upgradation plan, he added.