LAHORE, Oct 22: The Pakistan Railways is waiting for a delegation of the Islamic Development Bank (IDB) that is due here to finalise modalities to fund the project for replacement of its obsolete signalling system.

The Pakistan Railways, perhaps the only rail service in the world that still uses the 18th century kerosene-lit semaphore signals, has been starved of resources for the replacement of its signalling system for the last couple of years.

“After completion of tender process, a Letter of Intent (LoI) has been awarded to the successful bidder, a Swedish company, for replacement of signalling system from Lodhran to Shahdara. At present, we require funds so that work on the project could be initiated,” an official of the railways ministry told this reporter on Wednesday.

The project would be completed within 30 months after availability of funds amounting to $130 million from the IDB, said the official who wished not to be named.

Another senior officer who was involved in the bidding process said that under the project, auto block system (ABS) would be installed on 31 stations from Lodhran to Shahdara. It would not only include computer interlocking within the perimeters of the large railway stations but also for the first time in the main line outside the stations would have automatic train control or operations.

“The system included full automation of the track control, level crossings and even auto-braking of locomotives in case the driver fails to observe the electronic cautions of conditions on tracks ahead. The automatic train control (ATC) on main lines outside and inside stations is a critical protection against overshoot of train and minimises the chances of human error,” the officer said.

Regarding the severe damage the railway network had suffered during the riots following Benazir Bhutto’s assassination in December last year, the official said the old signalling system at the 22 affected stations from Bin Qasim to Mirpur Mathelo had been restored.