By Syed Marwan Shah

Thar coal mines will soon be connected to the Main-Line 1 enabling efficient delivery of coal to the coal-fired power plants and other facilities and bringing economic benefits to both the Pakistan Railways and power plants, reports WealthPK.

Pleading anonymity, an official of Pakistan Railways told WealthPK that railways was the most economical mode for transportation of goods and commuters and an essential factor in the industrial and commercial development of Pakistan.

“It’s a symbol of unity for the country and a vehicle for socio-political integration. The geographical layout of Pakistan makes it an excellent and cost-effective means of transportation for long-distance freight,” he added.

Moreover, efficient freight movement is of sheer importance to economic development.

The official said the rail connectivity will enable efficient delivery of coal to the coal-fired power plants and other facilities such as cement manufacturing units. In addition, the link will bring economic benefits to the railways and coal-fired power plants.

It is estimated that the 105km green link connecting the coal mines with Port Qasim, Jamshoro power plant, and other power plants will save billions of rupees.

Currently, various goods are being transported through the rail network but coal is the main product, which is hauled from Karachi to all parts of the country, particularly to Pind Dadan Khan in Punjab and Nowshera in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The tracks are being designed to bear a maximum of 25 tonnes of the axel load, the officer added.

Discussing Main-Line 1, the official said the goal of connectivity through CPEC could not be achieved without upgrading ML-1. Therefore, he said, refurbishment and expansion of ML-1 was considered an important milestone in the improvement and transformation of Pakistan Railways.

“Furthermore, focusing solely on the road infrastructure in order to improve logistics performance would be myopic. Logistics through rail are a far more viable option and the government should develop and invest in this often-neglected mode of transportation as the primary means of inland freight,” he said.

According to WealthPK research, coal is also one of the energy sources used to generate electricity in Pakistan. At present, it produces 5,280MW electricity. A total of 1,320MW electricity is supplied by the Thar coal. In contrast, 3,960MW is generated by imported coal, which represents around 75 percent of the total electricity produced by coal.

Credit : Independent News Pakistan-WealthPk