By Ayesha Saba

The transformation of the Karachi-Peshawar Railway Line (ML-1) will cast positive impact on multiple aspects of the economy given its connection with key urban centres and industrial hubs, says a former official. “The Main Line-1 project is going to develop the railway network on modern lines as well as boost the income of Pakistan Railways,” said Syed Mir Badshah, a former senior railway officer, while talking to WealthPK. “Pakistan is keen on unleashing its geographical location potential for better regional connectivity through railway as it can connect the country with Central Asia via Afghanistan and with China via Havelian, which will boost trade not only in Pakistan, but also in the entire region,” he said.

Badshah said the ML-1 was the economic backbone of Pakistan, as it rolls through around 75% of the country's population and over 80% of industries. He said that following the renovation and modernisation of ML-1, Pakistan Railways will not only enhance passenger transportation, but also modernise freight carriage. “In this project, almost all the bridges will be reconstructed. However, there are about 670 level crossings on the track which will be converted to underpasses and flyovers, which will not only increase the trains’ speed, but also decrease travel duration,” said the former official.

He said the state-owned enterprises often face financial constraints, making it challenging to invest in infrastructure development and modernisation. He said China has played a crucial role in the development and modernisation of Pakistan's railway infrastructure through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). “The world is now moving towards a high-speed railway system, while Pakistan Railways is still outdated. The upgradation will facilitate the movement of raw material, finished goods, and resources needed for industries such as textiles, agriculture, and manufacturing,” he emphasised.

According to the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the future socio-economic growth depends upon improvement in the road and rail infrastructure that provides connectivity to support industrial development and scaling up social service provision through schools, hospitals, and sanitation services. Thus, CPEC will improve access to basic needs such as health, water, and energy, which are currently inaccessible in remote areas of Pakistan, through the advancement and upgrading of the railway infrastructure. Under the ML-1 project, Pakistan’s existing 2,655km railway tracks will be upgraded to allow trains to move up to 165km per hour – twice as fast as they currently do – while the line capacity will increase from 34 to over 150 trains each way per day.

Credit: INP-WealthPk