ISLAMABAD May 21: The Pakistan Railways, under the rehabilitation programme of its dilapidated track would replace the entire 1,760km track between Peshawar and Karachi in the next three years at a cost of Rs11.1 billion, whereas the doubling of the said track process was also under study.

Pakistan under a contract is purchasing 52,000 tons of track from China as 13,500 tons have already been imported from Austria and arrangements for the purchase of remaining 12,000 tons to complete the first phase of track replacing project would be done with Rs700 million Islamic Development Bank loan.

After the completion of rehabilitation track, the PR rail speed would go up to 140kmph, 50km more than the present 90km an hour speed. Work on doubling the 125km-long track between Khanewal and Lodhran has already been taken in hand.

Briefing newsmen, about the progress on three projects accorded to China namely purchase with transfer of technology of 175 passenger coaches, 69 locomotives and a 52,000 tons track, secretary and chairman Railway board Lt-Gen Saeeduz Zafar said that the first 14 coaches were expected to be delivered by July next with at least one or more locomotives to run most modern Pakistan-China train of international standard by next Independence Day.

General Manager PR Maj Gen Hamid Hasan Butt who accompanied the secretary railway in the recent visit to China was also present on the occasion along with other high officials.

He told that the PR was also in the process of replacing the old signalling system with a modern and computerised one and have so far received expression of intent by Iran, China and Germany and a railway delegation was in Beijing to study the system after which tenders would be floated.

Thy cost of passenger coaches was estimated at $91.89 million and that of 69 locomotives $98.25 million, he said.

Replying to a question with regard to the PR efforts of getting government’s help in turning its overdraft into equity or a freeze on it the railway secretary gave example of PIA, KESC and some other government institutions which were provided with relief for a turn around. He said the real amount of debt against PR right now was Rs8 billion which went up to Rs20 billion due to the interest which was due mainly to the finance department’s delayed releases.