APP – The National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Railways was informed Monday that feasibility study and documentation to lay Besima-Quetta and Besima-Jacobabad tracks, establishing a connection with Gwadar deep seaport under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), has been finalized and submitted to the Planning Commission for approval.

“The project cost is about six billion dollars to lay about 1200 km track, which will be completed in a period of five years,” said an official while giving briefing the committee.

The committee was also informed that Rs 5 billion had been allocated to acquire land for the project. “The land has been purchased to avoid any delay in execution of the project” he added.     

The committee also approved Rs 73 billion for ongoing projects of the Ministry of Railways under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) 2018-19. The official said that allocation had been made for 96 percent ongoing projects.

He said Pakistan Railways had managed to retrieve 52.77 acre land during anti-encroachment campaign in July 1, 2016 to June 30, 2017. 

The Secretary Railway Board informed the committee that in the next five years, the locomotive fleet of Pakistan Railways would be enhanced from 150 to 300.

He said that presently about 12 to 13 freight trains were operating daily, while in past only one goods' training was operating.  He said that total income of the PR was likely would touch Rs 50 billion as compared to Rs 12 billion in the past. 

“Financial health of Pakistan Railways has improved significantly during the present government’s tenure and it will hand over better PR to next government” he said.