ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways is all set to double railway track from Khanewal to Raiwind and Shahdara to Lalamusa during the financial year of 2015-16.
An official in the Railways Ministry told APP on Thursday that that strengthening and rehabilitation of around 159 weak railway bridges will also be completed by June 2017.
Both of these tracks, he told, will cover major portions of the north-south mainline as Pakistan Railways also aims to double the remaining tracks in coming years
He said that Pakistan Railways is also planning to invest in purchase of locomotives, bogies and rehabilitation of tracks, signalling systems and improvement of existing railway stations.
The official said that for this purpose it will implement different projects during the next financial year on priority basis.
He said allocations have been made in the budget to add 177 locomotives to the system through procurement while 100 will be repaired.
Similarly around 1500 new wagons and bogeys are also being arranged. Pakistan Railways is taking these steps to improve the travelling facilities for its passengers, he added.
He said additional wagons for freight operations will be procured. A feasibility study is also being commissioned to study the possibility of a dedicated freight corridor.
In order to further enhance the convenience of travelling by Pakistan Railways, special amounts have been earmarked to renovate and upgrade railway stations in various cities, he informed.
Pakistan Railways, he said, also has a plan to start working on important project that will lead to improvement of signaling system on Lodhran-Khanpur-Kotri Section and provision of centralized traffic control, the official added.
