Railways to upgrade Karachi-Peshawar track in next five years, Rashid told Senate

ISLAMABAD: Minister for Pakistan Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Wednesday said Railways has finalized a plan to upgrade its track from Karachi to Peshawar via Lahore in the next five years under China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)project.Responding a question asked by Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi in Senate, he said the Main Line-1 from Karachi to Peshawar via Lahore except Khanewal-Shor Kot-Faisalabad-Shahdara Section will be upgraded under CPEC project.The minister said Railways track from Lahore to Peshawar via Rawalpindi will be dualised in the next five years.730 kilometer track has been rehabilitated/ partially rehabilitated through Complete Track Renewal, Sleeper Renewal and Rail Renewal under different PSDP Projects, he added.He informed that PC-I for rehabilitation of Track and Bridges in Sukkur Division is in process.He said average 77.10 percent of track is overage, while 86 percent of Railways bridges are more than 100 years old but all bridges are safe for train operation due to effective maintenance owing to regular maintenance, rehabilitation and strengthening of these bridges.Responding to another question, the minister said all the bridges are inspected annually as per schedule and minor repair are carried out departmentally in routine to ensure safety.Recently 230 bridges have been rehabilitated/ reconstructed under various development projects, he added.Replying a question, he said total number of posts lying vacant in Pakistan Railways in BS-01 to BS-22 are 23,748. To another query, he said an area of 15,025.44 acres has been licensed/leased out for various purpose(premium shops, stacking, agriculture, parking stands & petrol pumps) during last ten years from January, 2008 to December, 2017.A

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