ISLAMABAD   -   The Ministry of Railways (MOR) principally agrees with electric traction (ET) option of ML-I saying the option can be included in the long term CPEC plan 2030 and beyond, however, observed that it will add $2 billion to the cost of the project and will change the entire dynamic of the loan.

The PTI government is planning the groundbreaking and start of work on the up-gradation of existing Pakistan Main Line-I (ML-I) from last year of its tenure 2022-23, official documents reveal.

Earlier ECNEC had approved the project at the rationalised cost of $6,806.783 million on 90:10 cost sharing basis between the governments of China and Pakistan, with the conditions that the loan for the project will be a mix of central and sovereign guarantee loan. According to the documents available with The Nation, the cost of the ML-I is $6.807 billion which includes the FEC of $6.126 billion and the local currency component of $681.678 million.

The project will be implemented in three packages. The loan, however, would be negotiated in programmatic mode. The loan amount for each package will be separately contracted so that unnecessary commitment charges are avoided

The project envisages up-gradation of ML-1, establishment of a dry port near Havelian Railway Station; up-gradation of Pakistan Railway Academy Walton in Lahore; passenger facilities development of important railway stations, including Karachi, Hyderabad and Rohri in Sindh province; Multan, Lahore and Rawalpindi in Punjab province; Nowshehra and Peshawar in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province. ML-1 starts from Karachi, passes through Kotri/Hyderabad, Rohri, Multan, Lahore, Rawalpindi and terminates at Peshawar. The line is 1,872km long, including the 55km long Taxila-Havelian section and 91km long Lodhran-Khanewal section. The up-gradation of ML-I will increase the speed of passenger trains from 110 km per hour to 160 km per hour. Speed of the freight trains to increase to 120km per hour. Line capacity will increase from 34 to 137/171 trains each way per day and freight trains trailing load to be increased from 2400 to 3400 ton. Same track to be used by passenger as well as freight trains. Addition of new tracks of about 814km would result in doubling of entire track from Karachi to Peshawar. Under the project existing 2,655km track will be up graded. Grade separation to ensure safety of train operations and result in elimination of manned and un-manned level crossings. Fencing for track isolation is also part of the project. 

Responding to the recommendations of Parliamentary Committee on CPEC regarding adding the option of ET to ML-I, the Ministry of Railways said that it is principally agrees with the advantages of electrification of ML-1 which will greatly add to the viability of the entire ML-1 project. However, the financial negotiations for ML-1 with Chinese side are at the final stage and inclusion of ET at this belated stage will further the delay.

During Joint Feasibility Study of ML-1conducted in 2015 under Framework Agreement executed between the governments of Pakistan and China, the option of electric traction was considered. In the feasibility study 60 new substations on 25KV AC supply were proposed which could be implemented as a Long Term Plan of CPEC i.e. 2030 and beyond. The estimated cost of Electric Traction, as worked out in the Joint Feasibility Study, was around $2 billion. Owing to high capital cost, electric traction was planned to be implemented in the Long Term Plan of CPEC. Second Framework Agreement was executed between the governments of Pakistan and China in May 2017 in which the scope of work in Short Term (Early Harvest) plan of CPEC was finalised which did not include electrification of ML-1 at that point of time.

According the MOR, the electric traction system is the most efficient of all other traction system especially as compared to Diesel Electric (DE) locomotive. It offers several benefits including quick start and stop, very efficient, pollution-free, easy to handle and easy speed control. Electric locomotive are more durable and environment friendly with quick acceleration and deceleration. Especially for Pakistan Railways, the introduction of ET will eliminate the need for Power Vans which are used for air-conditioning of passenger coaches. 

It is estimated that only 200MW are required for ML-1 operation which will result into 50% saving on fuel cost and 60 to 70% savings on account of locomotive maintenance cost, the ministry said. However, it requires very high capital cost, less flexibility of routes, limited route choices at junction stations and interference with nearby communication lines. 

Electric traction is technically possible after complete up-gradation of ML-1 because during up-gradation most of the curves will be re-aligned, track at various locations will be raised and level crossings will be converted into under passes/flyovers. Piecemeal installation of ET will not serve the purpose and the real benefits of ET will be possible only when up-gradation is complete at least between Lahore and Karachi. There is no doubt that operation & maintenance costs of ET locomotives are significantly less than DE (Diesel Electric) Locomotives and therefore it should be considered as a viable project over up-graded ML-1.

The foreign consultants during the Feasibility Study of up-gradation of ML-1 project analysed the possibility of adding ET over the entire length. Introduction of ET over an up-graded ML-1 as a long term (2030) project is quite feasible but it needs to consider following factors: An additional burden of around $2.0 billion would have change the overall dynamics of loan terms. Approximately 300 new ET locomotives costing around $1.0 billion would be required. The installation of ET over the entire length of ML-1 could have been executed as a single project only which was difficult to be dove tailed into the various sections opened for up-gradation.

The construction phasing spread over a period of eight and half years and executed through various contractors could only be accessed for execution of ET once it is completed, the ministry said.

As a part of up-gradation process, a number of alignments are to be redesigned involving easing out sharp curves to support the speed of 160km per hour. ET as a viable option could only be added once these alignments and curves get finalised.

All provisions to install ET in future have been kept while designing bridges, tunnels and other structures. There will be no alterations required while executing ET project on up-graded ML-1, MOR said.

A road map for the inclusion of ET in the ML-1 project, as suggested by MOR said that after the commencement of ML-1 up-gradation work, the issue of installation of ET should be raised in the meeting of Joint Working Group (JWG) and after recommendation of JWG it should be presented to JCC for approval.