ISLAMABAD: Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed announced on Monday that Pakistan Railways would increase fare of 40 popular trains next week to offset the effect of increase in cost of import of railways spare parts triggered by the appreciation of the dollar against the rupee.

Talking to reporters at the Rawalpindi railway station, Mr Rashid, however, held out an assurance that the increase in fare of 40 trains would be minor while that of 100 trains and branch line trains would remain unchanged so that the common man was not burdened.

The minister said that Pakistan Railways was currently evaluating the fare schedule and it was likely that two to three per cent increase would occur in the economy class of trains.

The reason behind the hike in train fares, the minister said, was the rising cost in import of spare parts which Pakistan Railways had to pay in foreign exchange.

Referring to the Main Line (ML-I) project, Mr Rashid claimed that the scheme would bring about a revolution in the country’s economy.

He said an agreement for the ML-I project would be signed between China and Pakistan on Dec 25.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan would decide about the mode of investment for the ML-1 project, adding that it was yet to be decided whether the project would be a joint venture or on a build-operate-transfer basis.

He said that Pakistan Railways and National Rail­ways Administration of China were close to an agreement and technical teams of railways of the two countries had already completed their work.

Referring to the project of realignment of train tracks, the minister said that travel time between Rawalpindi and Lahore would be reduced by one hour with the scheme by skipping a hilly location between Gujar Khan and Jhelum which would reduce the distance by 19 kilometres.

Referring to the Nullah Leh Expressway project, a new road link between Rawalpindi and Islamabad, Mr Rashid said that over the next few days, the government would come up with a decision on the project.

The project, a brainchild of Mr Rashid, was inaugurated during the Musharraf era, but it did not see any progress because of change in government.

The minister said that the Nullah Leh project would have a dual road and efforts would be made to lay tracks for railways to also link it with the new Islamabad International Airport.

Talking about the removal of illegal occupants of PR lands in Karachi and restoring the Karachi Circular Railway, he said the government did not want to deprive the poor people of their houses and for this purpose some amicable solution would have to be found.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2018