The committee was given a briefing by Ministry of Railways about its budgetary proposals relating to PSDP for financial year 2018-19. It was informed that the ministry has proposed an amount of Rs 73 billion for ongoing and new projects. The ministry has allocated 96 per cent of the total amount for completion of ongoing projects and 4 per cent for the new projects. It was informed that the most of the running projects would be completed during the current financial year.
According to the ministry's briefing, the railways has proposed Rs 70.5 billion against 28 ongoing projects, ie, 96 percent and Rs 2.5 billion against one new project ie 4 percent, while 10 ongoing projects would be completed by end-June 2018.
The railways has proposed Rs 26.589 billion against rolling stock availability projects including Rs 9.589 billion for locomotives and Rs 17 billion for carriage and wagons. Further the railways proposed Rs 8 billion for procurement/manufacturing of 75 new locomotives, Rs 1 million for procurement of 150 DE locomotives, Rs 722 million for rehabilitation of 300 traction motors and Rs 866 million for special repair of 100 DE locomotives.
Furthermore, Rs 17 billion have been proposed for the procurement/manufacturing of 820 high-capacity bogie freight wagons and 230 passenger coaches. An amount of Rs 39 million has been proposed for comprehensive feasibility study for up-gradation/rehabilitation of ML-1 and establishment of new dry port at Havelian under the CPEC in the PSDP 2018-19.
The railways further proposed Rs 41 billion for infrastructure development including Rs 38.5 billion for tracks and Rs 3.2 billion for signalling. The railways has also proposed Rs 1.885 billion for business development and Rs 263 million for governance related projects.
The backbone of Pakistan's Railways infrastructure is the Peshawar to Karachi rail track-technically called the ML-1. A memorandum of understanding has been signed with China for its improvement and up-gradation. Pakistan Railways has proposed Rs 30 billion for up-gradation of ML-1 including acquisition of land for dry port at Buldhair (CPEC).
Furthermore, Rs 168 million have been proposed regarding feasibility studies for up-gradation and extension of ML-III (CPEC). The railways proposed Rs 1.705 billion for rehabilitation of the railways assets damaged at Sindh during riots of December 27-28, 2007 followed by assassination of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto. The railways proposed Rs 164 million for procurement of equipment regarding improved security and anti-terrorism measures.
Some of the mega projects to be completed by end-June 2018 include; rehabilitation of 27 (HGMU-30 class) diesel electric locomotives with Rs 6.558 billion, procurement / manufacturing of 585 hopper wagons and 20 bogie brake vans for coal transportation with Rs 5.86 billion and procurement/ manufacturing of 780 high-capacity bogie (hopper) wagons and 20 bogie brake vans for coal transportation (Ph-1) with Rs 8.863 billion.
The committee recommended that the projects of Pakistan Railways may be given priority by the government, specially the Main Line-2 (ML-2) for its early completion. The committee decided to appoint a subcommittee under the convenership of Ramesh Lal to examine the issue of encroachment on the Pakistan Railways land.
Members/MNAs Syed Muhammad Saqlain Bukhari, Rana Zahid Hussain Khan, Rasheed Ahmed Khan, Phyllis Azeem, Dr Nisar Ahmad Jatt, Engr Hamid-ul-Haq Khalil, Amjad Ali Khan, Sajid Ahmed, Qari Muhammad Yousaf and Naseema Hafeez Panezai attended the meeting. The senior officers from the Ministry of Railways along with their staff also attended the meeting.