Pakistan to lay first standard gauge rail track from Quetta-Taftan

[hydrabadi_arab]

Lahore: Pakistan Railways (PR) has started working on a plan to lay the country’s first standard gauge rail track from Quetta to Taftan to transport high-value goods to Central Asian and European countries in a short period, according to news published on Monday (February 7).

Read: Pakistan Railways launches first cold chain freight service

The PR plans to make rail track infrastructure compatible with international standards. As per the details, a 635-kilometre long track will be constructed at the total cost of USD 500 million. The PR will conduct a feasibility study after the approval of the Ministry of Railways. It was mentioned that the department might ask Iran to lay a 95-kilometre long standard gauge rail track from Taftan (Pakistan) to Zahedan (Iran).

A PR official (whose name was not disclosed) stated that the broad gauge is compatible with some countries including Bangladesh and India. However, it is not compatible with the standard gauge rail of Iran, Central Asia, Europe, and Turkey.

Read: Railways’ employees to get interest-free loans for home construction

Moreover, the standard gauge rail (SGR) will consist of four feet and 8.5 inches in width. The PR decided to lay a standard gauge after learning that Islamabad-Tehran-Istanbul (ITI) freight train takes up to four to five days from Quetta to Zahedan, mainly because of the weak condition of the track from Quetta to Taftan. The laying the standard gauge rail will reduce the travel time and will eliminate the need to transport goods to other wagons.

Pakistan to lay first standard gauge rail track- Zameen News

Pakistan Railways (PR) has started working on a plan to lay the country’s first standard gauge rail track from Quetta to Taftan to transport high-value....

www.zameen.com

 

[Falconless]

Nice, slowly ML-1 should also be converted to standard gauge

 

[Zhukov]

Thank God finally.it is happening finally.

 

[khail007]

Nice, slowly ML-1 should also be converted to standard gauge

Most of the railway tracks (more than 11000km) in Pakistan are in broad gauge (5.5feet). ML-1 is planned on the same standard. Only some sub railway tracks of KPK, Balochistan, and some industrial tracks are in narrow gauge (between approx 2feet to 3.5feet)

 

[Falconless]

Most of the railway tracks (more than 11000km) in Pakistan are in broad gauge (5.5feet). ML-1 is planned on the same standard. Only some sub railway tracks of KPK, Balochistan, and some industrial tracks are in narrow gauge (between approx 2feet to 3.5feet)

Broad Gauge is only used in the subcontinent, even Australia ditched it, international rail freight will only work if we adopt the standard gauge which is used by Iran, China, Turkey and most of the world.