Updated PC-1 of Main Line-1 submitted to ministry of planning

LAHORE:Pakistan Railways on Wednesday submitted updated PC-1 of Main Line-1 (ML-1) project to the Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives. The revised PC-1 features downward revision of overall cost from 9.248 billion to 9.172 billion dollars.

This paves the way for the formal initiation of work on the project after its approval by Executive Committee National Economic Council (ECNEC) by April this year. Pakistan Railways will take charge of managing the project with a new administrative structure and more efficient human resources. The project will create 100,000 jobs.

The ML-1 will be completed in three phases and the up-gradation of the existing track along with laying of double line will make it possible to run train at the speed of 120 to 160 kilometres per hour. The project, therefore, will bring about efficiency in terms of time, fuel consumption and environment. The completion of the project will reduce travel time significantly between main cities such as Karachi and Lahore (10 hours), Islamabad and Lahore (2.5 hours), Lahore and Multan (3 hours), Peshawar and Islamabad (1.5 hours), and Karachi and Hyderabad (80 minutes).

uplift schemes: The Punjab Provincial Development Working Party approved five development schemes of various sectors with an estimated cost of Rs 3.335 billion. These schemes were approved in the 37th meeting of Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP) of current fiscal year 2019-20 presided over the Chairman P&D Board Hamed Yaqoob Sheikh. Provincial Secretary P&D Imran Sikandar Baloch, all members of the Planning & Development Board, Provincial Secretaries of departments concerned, senior chief (Coordination) Javed Latif, Assistant Chief Coordination Syed Naveed Iqbal, Planning Officer Coordination Muhammad Rashid and other senior representatives of the relevant Provincial Departments attended the meeting. The approved development schemes included as Up-gradation of Thalassemia Unit & Bone Marrow Transplant Centre at Bahawalpur Victoria Hospital, Bahawalpur at the cost of Rs 1,173.061 million, Provision of Essential Missing Equipment for Strengthening of Wazirabad Institute of Cardiology, Wazirabad at the cost of Rs. 704.208 million, Solarization of Basic Health Units (Phase-I) at the cost of Rs. 449.400 million, Solarization of Basic Health Units (Phase-II) at the cost of Rs. 647.467 million and Promotion of Fruits Production in Punjab Through Provision of Certified Plants at the cost of Rs 360.333 million.