PESHAWAR,  Nov 6: The railways, which has entered an accord with Kabul on a rail link between Chaman and Kandahar, will start a survey for laying the tracks after June next year.

Speaking at the press club’s meet the press programme on Thursday, Railways Minister Sardar Ghous Bakhsh Mahar said the Afghan government wanted an access to the Gwadar port, for which it agreed to establish a rail link with Pakistan.

He said the railway tracks between Kandahar and Chaman would help boost trade with Central Asia.

The minister said he had come here to take up the issue of encroached railways land with the NWFP government.

The federal government had decided to lease out the land to the occupants on market rates, he said.

He said the railways had postponed its anti-encroachment drive after an assurance given by Prime Minister Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali to the occupants that it would grant them some time to take a decision.

He said it  was up to the occupants to seek lease of the lands or vacate them.

He said the railways would give 35 per cent of the lease money to the provincial government for its operational services in this regard.

The NWFP chief minister, he said, had assured the railways of his support on the issue.

He said the railways had purchased some wagons from China, which would be put on the tracks soon.

He said the railways faced a deficit of Rs26 billion, while it was trying to replace its old signal system with a computerized one and introducing double-tracks in various areas.

He said it was not easy for the department to continue with the old fares after a gradual increase in the fuel prices and salaries of the employees.

Replying to a question, he said about 9,000 crossings on railway tracks in the country were unmanned, which was the main cause of accidents.

He said that besides the highways and irrigation departments, the district governments too were responsible to man the crossings in their jurisdictions.

He said the railways could restore the Samjhota Express service with India within 24 hours.

APP adds: The minister said he had discussed various routes, including Torkham-Jalalabad and extension of the railway tracks from Kohat to Parachinar, with the NWFP governor.