ISLAMABAD - Although the PML-N government is making tall claims to revive national entity Pakistan Railways, yet it has planned to allocate only Rs 7 billion for its 14 new schemes under Public Sector Development Programme for next fiscal year 2014-15.
The estimated amount of Rs7 billion for fourteen new schemes is being introduced to bring ‘significant’ change for next financial year 2014-15.
Despite the claims, the PML-N government has been able to introduce only 14 new schemes including procurement of equipment for improved security and anti-terrorism with Rs500 million.
The other projects show that feasibility study for construction of new rail from Islamabad to Muzafarabad via Murree is getting Rs60 million and construction of quarters Rs300 million.
Likewise, the feasibility study for dedicated freight corridor for transportation of coal from Karachi to Lahore is getting Rs150 million, improvement of goods shed at Lahore Rs59 million, improvement of singling system on Lodhran-Khanpur-Kotri-section Rs2750 million, procurement of Hopper-Wagons for coal transportation Rs1624 million, provision of container handling terminal at KBX Karachi Rs60 million, renovation and up-gradtion of Quetta ,Karachi, Lahore and Peshawar railway sections Rs500 million, replacement of two generating sets of 1000 KW at Railway power house, Lahore Rs94 million, special repair of 800 coaches and 200 wagons Rs400 million, and up-gradation of terminal facilities at Marshalling, according to the PSDP documents available with TheNation.
Whereas, the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is estimated to get around Rs660 million in upcoming fiscal year. The available figures show that PC-11 for feasibility study to connect Gwadar with Karachi and feasibility study of Gwadar to Khuzdar is getting Rs 100 million.
The second project in the queue names ‘China Pakistan Economic Corridor support at Ministry Railways’ is getting Rs 10million. Comprehensive feasibility study for up-gradation and new dry port at Havelian is estimated around Rs250 million and feasibility study (PC-II) for construction of new rail link for Havelian to Pak-China border Rs 300 million.
The available data of Railways division says that incumbent government has planned to give total Rs39366 million for 44 projects. The government is in a planning to consume Rs31441 million for 27 on-going projects for next fiscal year 2014-15.