KARACHI: The Karachi Port Trust has provided a network of approximately 100 miles of broad-gauge railway track for quick handling of cargo to and from the port. The wagons on this network are operated by the Pakistan Western Railways (PWR) according to an agreement with KPT.

At the East Wharves, railway tracks have been laid along the berths for direct loading and unloading of cargo. On berths 5 to 17 at East Wharves, which have been constructed recently, shunting of wagons is carried out by locomotives.

At West Wharf berths No. 18 to 21, railway tracks have been laid all along the quay face and shunting is done by locomotives, but on the other hand the movement of locomotives is prohibited on berths 1 to 4 at East Wharves because they are old. Here the wagons are shunted manually.

A large network of railway tracks has also been laid in the Keamari Yard berths which facilitate the receipt of upcountry export cargo at the storage plinths awaiting shipment and also directly at the berths for loading into the ships.