BEIJING: Pakistan and China have finalised the multibillion-dollar Main Line-I (ML-I) project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said here on Wednesday.

“I held a meeting with my Chinese counterpart this morning and finalised the project,” the minister told media at Diaoyutai State Guest House.

Mr Ahmed is part of Prime Minister Imran Khan’s delegation currently visiting China.

While expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Imran Khan for taking great interest in the project, he said the ML-I, an important project for the Pakistan Railways, had taken shape after 14 years.

The minister said he had also shared copies of a feasibility report of ML-2 (Fast Train) project with his Chinese counterpart.

“We are planning to start work on the fast train project soon after the completion of ML-I in the next 3-4 years,” he said.

Mr Ahmed said the completion of ML-I project would increase the speed of trains from existing 65-105 km/h to 120-160km/h, with freight volume jumping from six tonnes to 35 tonnes per year by 2025 and railways’ share increasing in freight transport from less than 4 per cent at present to 20pc.

He said the length of the railway track from Karachi to Peshawar would be around 1,800 kilometres and the new signaling system would be installed.

Published in Dawn, October 10th, 2019