ECNEC approved $7.2 billion ML-1 project, Senate panel told

ISLAMABAD: Chairman China Pakistan Economic Corridor Authority (CPEC), Asim Saleem Bajwa, has informed the Senate committee that the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) has approved Main Line-1 (ML-1) project worth Rs$7.2 billion, ARY News reported on Monday.

The Senate Special Committee meeting on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) was presided over by PPP Senator Sherry Rehman.

Chairman CPEC Authority Asim Saleem Bajwa said that the ML-1 project will change the railway transmission system and the transport share of railways will increase from 4per cent to 20 percent.

“Railways engineers will get training from Moscow, Germany and UK to run the new railway system,” he told Senate panel.

He informed the meeting that work on CPEC western route is underway while Dry Port is being constructed at Havelian. “The goods from China will be kept at Havelian Dry Port,” he told Senate committee.

Asim Bajwa said that work on Mansehra-Thakot Motorway is underway and was not stopped during the Covid-19 pandemic. He said the motorway section will be inaugurated soon.

Speaking about Orange Line Metro Train project, Asim Saleem Bajwa said that there was no political reason for not operating the Lahore metro train. He said that the civil work of project was not completed which caused a delay in the launch of the project.

CPEC chairman informed the committee that Metro Train will be opened for public soon.