ISLAMABAD, Dec 1 (APP): Pakistan Railways has assembled as many as 92 freight wagons in Mughalpura Workshops during the last three years to improve the department’s performance, generate income and ensure smooth goods forwarding service across the country.
“Besides 508 more freight wagons will be assembled at Mughalpura Workshops and Pakistan Locomotives Factory, Risalpur in next one year,” an official in the Ministry of Railways told APP.
Similarly, the official said that as many as 184 new passenger coaches would also be assembled at Pakistan Railways Carriage Factory, Islamabad during the next three years.
Accordingly, he said raw material for assembling of 64 passenger coaches has been received by the department and soon the work would be initiated to meet the requirement.
To a question, he said Pakistan Railways was planning to construction of a 105-kilometer railway line to link Thar Coal mines with the Port Qasim.
The department has already awarded the contract which is scheduled to complete by October 2025, he added.
“The aim for bolstering the nation’s bulk transportation capabilities aligns with broader economic growth objectives and facilitates coal transportation across the country,” he said.
He said the project is a joint venture which is financed by both the Sindh and federal governments.
“The new rail link from Islamkot to Chhor will facilitate in coal transportation across the country, supporting key industries like cement and textiles by providing a more cost-effective fuel alternative,” he added.
He said the construction would include a 24.58-kilometer loop-line and an 18-kilometer double line track extending from Bin Qasim railway station to Port Qasim, with an additional 4.20 kilometers of loop lines designed to handle significant freight volumes.
After the completion of the project, he said, “The rail network is expected to have the capacity to transport 10 million tons of coal annually, shifting the country’s power generation reliance from imported to domestic coal sources.”
He said the project will see the establishment of seven new railway stations along the route, with two major stations at Thar coal mines and new Chhor station and five intermediate stations to facilitate efficient coal transport.
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