Pakistan Railway Projects.

[ghazi52]

Pakistan and China sign agreement to double the entire ML-1 railway track

Pakistan Railways (PR) and the National Railways Administration (NRA) of China have signed an agreement to upgrade and double the entire ML-1 railway track from Karachi to Peshawar, as part of the infrastructure development under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The up-gradation also includes increase of speed, signalling and control systems. The China Railways Rolling Corporation (CRRC) Tangshen has also shown interest in investing in CPEC, for the improvement of Pakistan Railways.


LAHORE: Pakistan Railways (PR) and the National Railway Administration (NRA) of China on Tuesday signed an agreement pertaining to the ML-1 [Main Line-1] project at the PR Headquarters here.

PR Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aftab Akbar and NRA Deputy Administrator An Lusheng signed the agreement pertaining to doubling of the entire ML-1 track from Karachi to Peshawar, up-gradation of the speed of passenger trains, freight trains, computer-based signalling, control system and others, local media reported.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the project was the backbone of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

“All matters related to ML-1 have been settled, whereas a complete report on its design and infrastructure will be submitted by December 25.”

The minister said that ML-2 and ML-3 were also important for CPEC, adding that Chinese companies should give a lesser amount of interest rate in order to complete PR uplift projects.

Meanwhile, China Railway Rolling Corporation (CRRC), Tangshan, has shown interest to invest in Pakistan Railways under the umbrella of CPEC project by providing products and services to Pakistan Railways.

This initiative is revealed by Hu Rui, the director of Overseas Targeted Publicity Corporate Culture Department.

The Director, Hu Rui briefed in detail to the delegation of South Asian and South East Asian countries, that CRRC has a immense potential and it is only emphasising on various prospects to augment its operations in different countries getting Chinese investment under Belt and Road Initiative (BRI).

Furthermore, she added that CRRC has already nominated the bid for supplying almost 230 modern coaches to Pakistan, which will be a helping hand for improvisation of Pakistan’s railway.

Hu Rui also said, “CRRC is based on the erudition from international first-class projects for their latest management thoughts and techniques, due to which CRRC Tangshan takes equivalent construction as the foundation and adopt five implement approaches consisting, business arrangement optimization, huge technical system, large quality system, standardized factory and information conception

 

[ghazi52]

The Pakistan Railways (PR) will begin a "grand operation" from Monday for the removal of encroachments along both tracks of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), officials said.

The decision was taken after Justice Gulzar Ahmed of the Supreme Court ordered authorities to immediately removed encroachments from railway lines and revive the KCR.

Justice Ahmed, who was chairing a meeting at the apex court’s Karachi registry, said time should no longer be wasted in the revival of the KCR, which was abandoned around two decades ago.

Railways officials told that they have already started the implementation of SC's orders and that they "will ensure the end of all encroachments".

Justice Ahmed, who is the acting Chief Justice of Pakistan in the absence of Justice Mian Saqib Nisar, had last week directed the city's deputy commissioners to remove encroachments to clear the route of the KCR as well as the land in their respective areas after the divisional superintendent of PR said that most of its land was encroached upon.

The KCR was commissioned in 1964, originally to help employees of the Pakistan Railways travel between their jobs — at and around the City and Cantonment railway stations — and their residences in Karachi’s eastern neighbourhoods. The service became a full circle of 44 km in 1970 and connected Karachi’s four main work areas: the port, the Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE), the city’s central commercial areas such as Saddar and the Landhi Industrial Area.

The KCR remained the public transport of choice for the people of Karachi till 1984 when the number of its trains was reduced. Reasons for the move included lack of maintenance and repair, a yawning gap between rising expenditure due to higher fuel and operational costs and decreasing revenue due to subsidised tickets and the government’s inability to spend money on the improvement of tracks and stations.

According to the Karachi Mass Transit Cell, the number of level crossings — points where a railway line crosses a road or any other thoroughfare — also increased in the city, causing KCR trains to take longer to complete their journey. At one stage, there were 34 level crossings on the KCR route.

The KCR finally shut down in 1999, forcing thousands of its daily users to travel by buses.

 

[AZADPAKISTAN2009]

Long over due ......

KCR was money maker for city of Karachi

The tracks existed the stations existed all they had to do was buy locomotives build enhance the passenger cabins and $$$ count the money from ticket sales

In 70 years could not gather 100,000 labourers to lay new tracks in a country which does all contruction work in middle east

Illlegal construction around tracks

Tracks in Japan, they take Train as a representation of their Nation's ambitions since 60's and 70's

Local interior train
Simple but functional and effective

 

[ghazi52]

Pics Taken Outside General Electric Plant in Erie PA USA
Expected Arrival Of GEU-20 Is January 2019
These Locomotives are of 2000 HP Pakistan ordered 20 of these Locomotives in June 2017.

 

[ghazi52]

Recently Inducted Track Maintenance / Ballast Tamping Machines of Pakistan Railways

 

[ghazi52]

South Korean Investors Show Interest to Invest in Pakistan Railways

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad, on Monday, invited a delegation from South Korea to seek business and investment opportunities in Pakistan Railways.

While chairing a meeting with the Korean delegation on investment opportunities in Pakistan Railways at the Ministry of Railways, he asked the delegation to look at the possibility of upgrading Main Line-I, II and III projects, which are bound to turn the railways into a modern network.

The delegation of the Korea Rail Network Authority (KRNA), led by South Korean Ambassador Kwak Sung-Kyu, visited Pakistan Railways to explore investment and business opportunities, according to a press release.

KRNA is a subsidiary of the Transport Department of the Government of South Korea.

Sheikh Rashid said that Pakistan Railways is open to investment from all countries and the present government is committed to upgrading the Main Line-I and Main Line-II.

The upgrade of Main Line-I is a lifeline for China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The minister said that Pakistan values its important ties with South Korea and both KRNA and Pakistan Railways are interested in mutual cooperation.

He pointed out that Main Line-II and Main Line-III is also important for CPEC, hence, the South Korean government should also give importance to these networks as well

 

[ghazi52]

Karachi-Lahore route: Railways, private sector to launch new cargo train


Pakistan Railways, in collaboration with the private sector, is set to launch a new cargo train service on the Karachi-Lahore route next week which will improve supply chain management in cross-border trade, cut freight cost and transportation time significantly.


“We are set to (initially) operate five cargo trains a week from December 25,” Marine Group of Companies Managing Director Aasim A Siddiqui, who represents the private sector in a joint venture with Pakistan Railways, told The Express Tribune on Saturday.

“This will be the first scheduled cargo train service in Pakistan,” he claimed, elaborating that the key to success of the new service would be its punctuality, accuracy and pre-defined timings for departure and arrival.

“This will be a win-win situation for public-private partnership,” said Siddiqui. “The new train service will generate billions of rupees in annual revenues for the state-owned Pakistan Railways, cut cost and time for transporting import and export cargo between Karachi and factories in upcountry. Besides, the service will also ensure better supply chain management in cross-border trade.”

Each cargo train would have a capacity of carrying 75-80 containers of 20 feet each and would generate revenue of around Rs2.4 million, he estimated.

The new train service will reduce freight charges by 15-20% per container and reduce transportation time to around two days compared to three days through roads between Karachi and Lahore.

The number of cargo trains will be doubled to 10 by the end of next month (January 25). Later, a maximum of 20 trains will be run in a week in March.

Initially, the train would run between Karachi (Karachi Port and Port Qasim) and Lahore (Prem Nagar Dry Port) and would later also make a stopover at dry ports in Sialkot, Multan and Faisalabad, he said.

“The first cargo train has been fully booked. Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad will inaugurate the new service at Cantt Station, Karachi,” he said.

The service is being started with the help of surplus engines and wagons. It will help cut losses of Pakistan Railways as well.

The managing director said the reduced transportation time would address growing cargo congestion at seaports, ease traffic on roads, cut cost of road maintenance and control pollution.

On average, Pakistan transports 3.5 million import and export containers per year. The number shows there is unlimited potential for the transport of containers through railways.

The Marine Group of Companies won a five-year contract through a tender floated under PPRA rules, he said, adding Premier Mercantile Services, one of the group companies, would manage the new train service.

 

[ghazi52]

First-ever dedicated freight train launched

December 26, 2018

KARACHI: The freight train is leaving on Tuesday for Lahore. According to World Bank statistics, more than 95pc of Pakistan’s freight traffic is carried on road networks.

KARACHI: First ever dedicated freight train loaded with 75 cargo containers commenced its journey from Karachi Cantonment Railway Station to Lahore.

The freight train is being launched under public-private partnership with the expected journey time of 48 hours.

The Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmed while inaugurating the service said he was optimistic about the dedicated and regular freight train service for cargo transport.

He vowed to launch two more dedicated freight daily trains for containers from Karachi to Lahore from Jan 25. He also announced that scheduled freight trains from Karachi to Faisalabad and Sialkot would be launched in near future.

Moreover, he went on to say that non-container trains for other cargoes would also be launched to help country’s ports to operate efficiently as quick movement of cargoes from port areas will remove unnecessary congestions.

“Unfortunately, when I took over the Pakistan Railways after a lapse of 14 years, I did not witness any change and there was a loss of Rs5 billion with mammoth salary bill of Rs30bn, whooping fuel oil bill of Rs18bn and loans worth Rs25bn,” said Sheikh Rasheed while speaking at the inauguration ceremony.

The minister also said that dedicated and scheduled cargo train services will help reduce cost of doing business, improve global competitiveness and reduce pollution.

Highlighting the financial feasibility of the freight service, he said that Pakistan Railways would earn Rs3.5bn annually from this service whereas launching three more daily freight trains would increase the Pakistan Railways’ annual revenue by 14bn.

Multiple attempts to start a dedicated freight train from Karachi to upcountry have failed in the past.

The minister said that about two months back he met Managing Director, Marine Group of Companies Aasim Siddiqui and entire idea of private-public partnership came up and today service has started.

The minister said that the PR is going to develop Karachi-Peshawar double railway track or ML-1 and presently exploring investment including Chinese, built-operate-transfer and joint venture. However, the final decision would be taken by the Prime Minister Imran Khan before March 23, 2019.

He was grateful to the Chief Justice of Pakistan Saqib Nisar for taking abrupt and decisive action against land grabbers.

The minister said that there is huge demand from the increasing passenger traffic; however, due to shortage of rolling assets at Pakistan Railways, the demand cannot be fulfilled at the existing infrastructure. He regretted the failure of Dhabeji train service and lamented that Sukkur Express is already overloaded as passengers have to travel over rooftop.

Over the decades, the PR has fallen prey to corruption and pilferages resulting in ill-equipped railway system.

The minister assured to bring the over loaded trains to normal occupancy by adding up rolling stocks and improving tracks.

However, he said that it would only be possible after Pakistan Railway manages to develop ML-1 from Karachi to Peshawar having 1,760km double track which will help activate Pakistan Steel Mills and other foundries of the country for providing railways track.

The minister announced that once the financial constraints of Pakistan Railways are reduced, he would upgrade the scales of all railway workers. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and Aleem Adil Sheikh were also present at the occasion.

Speaking at the occasion Aasim A Siddiqui said that the up to 50 per cent of the cargo around the world is hauled by railways, whereas in Pakistan the percentage is as low as 5pc.

 

[maithil]

https://twitter.com/x/status/1079602020171042816

 

[ghazi52]

With ‘five-star’ facilities, 20 new trains to be launched this year

LAHORE: Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmad Saturday said that 20 new trains will be launched during the current year including two VVIP trains with food supplies from any ‘five-star hotel’.

These VVIP trains will be launched within next six months, said Sheikh Rashid at a press conference, held at the PR headquarters here. He said that the Railways would also try to operate 20 freight trains during 2019, five more than the target of 15.

 

[ghazi52]

Pakistan Railways has immense potential to steer connectivity in the region to gain development opportunities and explore new avenues of economic progress, said Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad.

Addressing an eight-member delegation of Turkish state railway companies, Talamsas and Raymisas, on Monday, he welcomed Turkish firms for investment in railways.

During the meeting, Ministry of Railways Secretary Sikandar Sultan Raja briefed the delegation regarding the functioning of different sections.

“Both countries are enjoying deep cordial relations and Pakistan Railways is all set to benefit from these ties,” the minister added. “Pakistan Railways will utilise Turkish experience and expertise in Railway Carriage Factory and Risalpur Locomotives Factory.”

The minister shared that the entity is widening its network and advancing with international joint ventures. He welcomed the proposal of Turkish partnership.

Expressing keen interest in investing and executing joint ventures with Pakistan Railways, Turkish companies invited Ahmad to visit Turkey to explore country’s railway system.

The companies will visit different organisations of Pakistan Railways and meet with concerned heads to search investment opportunities.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 15th, 2019.

 

[ghazi52]

Railway announces to launch freight train on Jan 25
January 19, 2019



Railways Minister Sheikh Rasheed Ahmad has said that a freight train is going to be launched on 25th of this month to facilitate business community and earn more revenue.

He was addressing a news conference at Railways Headquarters in Lahore on Saturday.

He said that reconstruction and renovation of seven major railways station will also be done.

He said that all measures to raise Railways income are being taken while remaining within our own resources.

 

[ghazi52]

PM to inaugurate rail tracking system next week

LAHORE - Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said that experiment of installation of tracking system in locomotives had been completed and the next week, Prime Minister Imran Khan would inaugurate the tracking system in trains after which citizens would be able to track location of any train during travelling. He said that this system had been presented by an engineer Mudassar without any cost.

While addressing a press conference here at Pakistan Railways Headquarters, he said that an online Railways Complaint Centre would be set up in Islamabad from February 15 for addressing the complaints of passengers regarding railways immediately.

He said that citizens would be able to lodge their complaints round the clock regarding any issue of the railways like misbehave of railways staff or about cleanliness through phone or website.

 

[Maxpane]

hope railway would ve able to stand on its foot

 

[Chishty4]

#Faisalabad-#Gwadar rail track upgrading demanded

Upgradation of railway track from Faisalabad to Gwadar is imperative to run maximum cargo and passenger trains to ensure speedy transportation of exportable surplus from the first special economic zone (SEZ) established under the #China-#Pakistan Economic Corridor (#CPEC) at M-3 industrial Estate.
Chairing a meeting of the Faisalabad Chamber of Commerce and Industry (FCCI) Standing Committee on Railway here on Friday, chairman Mirza Hadiyat Ullah said that after the sale of 90 per cent land in M3 Industrial Estate, Allama Iqbal Industrial city - sprawling over 3,000 acres land - is also being developed. The Punjab government has also sanctioned funds for the purchase of private land for this proposed industrial estate.

He said that Faisalabad will emerge as the main industrial hub of the country. “In this connection rehabilitation and upgradation of the existing railway track is vital.” He stressed that in the first phase, the track between Faisalabad-Lahore, Khanewal, Wazirabad and Sargodha sections should be upgraded and be made double to run the high-speed trains without any interruption.

This track could also be further expanded to link Faisalabad with other major business cities of the country in the later phase. He said Faisalabad was a blessed city in terms of motorways which pass on its right and left. However, for the transportation of luggage, the train is the most efficien and cheapest mode of communication