LAHORE, Aug 21: The railway authorities have planned to spread its rail network to Gwadar port to claim share in the freight hauling business from the new port to upcountry, Afghanistan and central Asian states.

For this purpose the railways will have to lay a new track over hundreds of kilometres. It will be the first mega project since the creation of Pakistan.

Tenders for granting a feasibility study contract for the project will be opened on Sept 4, railways high-ups told Dawn on Thursday.

The railway authorities have conceived three possible routes, and the feasibility study would suggest the best choice that could get maximum business.

The first proposed route is 550kms long, which will link Gwadar to Quetta-Zahidan section of the rail network after passing through Turbat, Hoshab, Panjgur and Yakmach.

The second route, about 400kms long as from Hoshab, may be directed towards Awaran, Bela and Dadu instead of Panjgur.

The railway officials are also considering that from Bela the track should head towards Uthal and down to Karachi to link Gwadar immediately to the main railway line.

According to the railway authorities, track kilometres and cost of the project may increase if the Balochistan government presses the federal government to direct the railways to lay the track close to localities so that local people could also benefit from the facility.

A decision to link Gwadar port to Quetta-Zahidan or Karachi-Lahore sections will be taken after evaluating business opportunities available for both the options, they added.