RAWALPINDI, July 29: President General Pervez Musharraf on Saturday approved introduction of “bullet train” between Rawalpindi and Lahore.

The Federal Minister for Railways, Shaikh Rashid Ahmad told Dawn that the speed of the bullet train would be 250 kilometres per hour and it would reach Lahore in one hour and fifteen minutes.

He said a separate track on standard gauge would be laid along the existing tracks but will have fully fenced to avoid any interference. The feasibility study for this project would be completed in four months, he said. The President had desired to inaugurate the Bullet Train himself, he said.

Earlier, speaking at the opening of the high-speed passenger coaches workshop at the Carriage Factory, Islamabad (CFI), President General Pervez Musharraf said Pakistan would be converted into a trade corridor by linking Gwadar Deep Sea Port with the regional countries through an efficient communication infrastructure including rail network.

The opening of the workshop has taken Pakistan Railways towards self-reliance and modernization. The capacity of CFI to fabricate, renovate, rehabilitate and converse passenger coaches has now been increased from 150 to 225 coaches annually. Opening of the new workshop would also help the country save foreign exchange.

Referring to Pakistan’s geo-strategic locations, President Musharraf said Pakistan served as an economic and trade hub to the Central Asian Republics, the Gulf, the Middle East, Western China and South Asia. Pakistan Railways would be upgraded and modernised along with efficient network of roads and ports for promoting regional trade, he declared.

Earlier, Sheikh Rashid Ahmad informed the President about the future expansion plans and modernization of Pakistan Railways including laying of rail tracks linking Gwadar with Quetta and onward to Chaman on Iranian border and Spin Buldak on the Afghan border at an estimated cost of Rs75 billion.

The President gave his approval to a pre-feasibility study for laying rail tracks from Havelian to Khunjrab Pass to be conducted by a German firm to link China with the Gwadar Deep Sea Port. The proposed rail link would provide China a shortest trade route for expanding its commerce with the Middle East and regions beyond.

The President also approved the pre-feasibility study to introduce mass-transit in eight major cities of the country.

Pakistan Railways is in the process of acquiring 69 locomotives from China at a cost of Rs5.89 billion. Out of these, 33 were being assembled at the locomotive factory in Risalpur while 20 others would be imported from China. President was informed that 24 locomotives imported earlier had developed cracks were operative after repair.

The rehabilitation and dualization of rail tracks were also unveiled at presentation. The President was informed that Lodhran-Khanewal section and Khanewal-Raiwind section would be dualised at a cost of Rs8.8 billion.

Pakistan Railways had already had double track from Karachi-Lodhran on main line. From Lodhran-Khanewal via Multan double track was nearing completion. It has been planned to extend the doubling of track from Khanewal-Lahore (246 Kms) to have double track right from Karachi to Lahore. The project would be completed by 2008, according to sources in Railways.

Over 2,000 track would be rehabilitated at a cost of Rs9.4 billion. Modern signal equipment costing over Rs1 billion would also be installed which would help make railway journey safer.

Under its expansion programme aimed at providing efficient and modern commuting facilities to the passengers high capacity wagons and over 6,000 sleepers would be produced annually involving private sector.

Railway had acquired 175 railway passengers’ carriages with the new designs at a cost of Rs7.77 billion. All these measures would transform the Railways into an efficient communication mean for the benefit of the commuters.

After inauguration, President Musharraf went round the factory and expressed his satisfaction over the standard of work being carried out there. On the occasion, he announced an honorarium of Rs1,000 each for about 1600 workers of the carriage factory.

This was the first-ever visit to the Carriage Factory by the President of Pakistan since its establishment in 1971 as a part of Pakistan Railways emphasis on acquiring self-sufficiency in production of rolling stock and is equipped to manufacture coaches, carry out refurbishment and modification of ordinary coaches to air-conditioned coaches.