THE government is going ahead with ML-1 following the same old route. We will have to develop overhead and underpasses at hundreds of level crossings in addition to sustaining the increase in rail traffic during ML-1 construction.

How about laying a new straight line following our domestic air route? It will reduce the overall length of the line and avoid touching smaller railway stations and unnecessary stops. Starting from Karachi it should go to Nawabshah, Rahim Yar Khan, Lahore, Islamabad and Peshawar.

Laying a line in new areas will have less construction challenges. Besides, it will be great from the defence point of view.

S. Iqbal
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 27th, 2020