ISLAMABAD: The first batch of 12 high-speed ‘new generation’ passenger coaches — currently being manufactu­red at the Islamabad Carriage Factory — will be rolled out for service on the Pakistan Railways network by June this year.

But the high-speed coaches, capable of speeds of up to 200kmph and equipped with state-of-the-art features, will ply on the existing low speed rail network, as the country currently has no high-speed lines or trains that may be able to utilise their capabilities.

This potentially means that passengers won’t be able to experience the full gamut of ‘new generation’ features that these coaches — developed in collaboration with the Chinese — have to offer.

The Carriage Factory had signed an agreement with CRRC Tangshan of China for the manufacturing of 230 passenger coaches in the year 2021, which envisioned a complete transfer of technology to Pakistan Railways.

Hanif Abbasi visits Islamabad Carriage Factory to inspect ‘new generation’ coaches, being built under Chinese supervision

The project, worth around $148 million, is being executed under the supervision of Chinese service engineers.

Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi visited the Islamabad Carriage Factory on Monday to review the project.

Carriage Factory Managing Director Muhammad Yousuf Leghari gave a det­ailed briefing to the minister on current projects, saying that this was the first time that high-speed coaches had been successfully manufactured in Pakistan, which was a significant milestone.

These coaches include advanced features such as air spring bodies, electric hot axle detection, improved ride quality, durability and speed capabilities.

When asked about the cost of each coach, Mr Leghari explained that there will five types of coaches, including economy and AC sleepers etc, and each kind of coach had a different cost.

Under the project, 184 more high-speed coaches to be manufactured at the Islamabad Carriage Factory will be delivered to Pakistan Railways by 2027 for induction in the system.

Mr Leghari said the project will enable Pakistan Railways to manufacture high speed passenger coaches locally, thereby saving precious foreign exchange. By achieving this technology, Pakistan Railways will also be able to export such coaches to other countries, he said.

The carriage factory, the largest industrial unit of Pakistan Railways, has the capacity to produce 120 new passenger coaches annually.

On Monday, the railways minister also met with the Project Director of the Chinese company, Mr Wulei and discussed with him measures to increase the factory’s production capacity. He emphasised the need to enhance the factory’s production capabilities so that Pakistan Railways can reduce its reliance on import and turn self-sufficient.

During the visit, the railways minister inspected various departments of the factory and received a detailed briefing on the production process, quality, and use of modern technology. He also reviewed the passenger coaches being manufactured at the facility.

The Islamabad Carriage Factory was established in 1970 with the cooperation of the French company Alstom, formerly known as Linke Hofmann Busch. The factory was built to promote the local production of electric and diesel locomotives and coaches in Pakistan, reducing the reliance on imported machinery.

Published in Dawn, March 25th, 2025