August 18, 2005	Thursday	Rajab 12, 1426

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LAHORE, Aug 17: The Khokhrapar-Monabao rail link cannot be resumed before the end of the next year if the route’s whole existing line of meter gauge is to be replaced with broad gauge.

A retired chief engineer of railways, who recently visited the site, told Dawn on Wednesday that the conversion of meter gauge into broad gauge would create many operational and other essential requirements — problems being more human — which could not be fulfilled by the end of the current year — the time schedule given by the government.

The meter gauge could not be converted into broad gauge without further strengthening the whole permanent way, which required at least eight months. More investment would be involved for the broad gauge rolling stock and locomotives which would not be economically justifiable, he said.

“At present, the distance of around 138kms from Mirpurkhas, including about 50kms after Chor in sandy area, can be covered with steam engine at the speed of up to 45kms an hour,” he said.

The track, he said, could be made fit for 60kms an hour speed by rehabilitating it with minimum material and investment.

“A maximum of 25,000 twin block sleepers, around 100,000 dog spikes, some 500 rails of 60 pounder specifications, which are lying abandoned in the yards of the section, and a workforce of 150 or so will be required to complete the task in just four months,” the ex-chief engineer said.

“The only essential requirement which the railways lack at present is two to three diesel locomotives of meter gauge which, too, can be procured from India. The existing meter gauge rolling stock can be rehabilitated at the Mughalpura Workshops. Furthermore, it will not create any additional operational requirements,” he said.

Meanwhile, a camp office is being established at the railways headquarters in Lahore for coordination between the Khokhrapar-Monabao rail link upgradation plan’s site office and the PR headquarters.

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