ABD to provide technical assistance to upgrade Pakistan Railways

ISLAMABAD: An Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation headed by transport specialist Ko Sakamovo visited Ministry of Railways on Tuesday and showed interest in up gradation of Pakistan Railways.

The ABD will provide technical assistance to the railways through the Pakistan Railways Strategic Plan (PRSP).

On the other hand, Pakistan Railways requested assistance to replace its old fleet of locomotives in next ten years and procurement of passenger and freight wagons.

Pakistan Railways also showed interest in upgrading ML2, ML3, branch lines(Shangla and Shorkot Section) and connectivity of Gwader to Besima through railway line.

The meeting was attended by Ministry of Railways chairman Javed Anwar, DG Operations Maryam Gillani, DG Technical Munawar Ali Shah, and DG Planning M Yusuf.

Rs 2.9bn sought to railway stations

The Ministry of Railways has also planned to upgrade 31 railways stations at an estimated cost of Rs. 2972.95 million across the country for provision of better facilities to the passengers.

The railways will upgrade nine stations in Punjab province, 12 in Sindh, five in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, three in Balochistan and one in the federal capital.

Pakistan Railways will reportedly spend Rs 977.32 million for up-gradation in Punjab, Rs 1242.93 million in Sindh, Rs 442.71 million in KP, Rs 243.49 million in Balochistan and Rs 66.5 million in the federal capital.

The department has incurred costs of Rs 144.605 million on the repair, renovation and reconstruction of railway stations across the country between 2012-2014.

The railways has spent Rs 86.556 million on repair and renovation of railway stations in Punjab, Rs 57.278 million in Sindh, Rs 0.371 million in KP and Rs 0.400 million in Balochistan.