A field survey for the upgrade of Pakistan’s Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project has commenced on the Karachi-Rohri section, Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi said. The minister described the survey as a critical phase in the modernisation of the country’s national rail infrastructure.

Teams from the National Engineering Services Pakistan (NESPAK) are currently conducting detailed assessments of land, crops, trees, and existing structures along the route.

Abbasi said this data would ensure a transparent compensation process for project-affected persons.

"The public is requested to fully cooperate with the survey teams and utilise the provided contact numbers to lodge any complaints with the project directors in Karachi and Sukkur," the minister said in a statement.

The ML-1 project is expected to increase train speeds, enhance passenger facilities, and provide a stimulus to the national economy, he added.

The project reached a policy milestone in October 2025 when the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) referred the preliminary designs and the 16.26 billion rupee ($58 million) Havelian Dry Port project to the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) for final approval.

The upgrades are being executed under the second phase of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP) — Pak-China