Replacement of railway track-laying machines: CDWP approves project worth Rs7.42bn

ISLAMABAD: The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) approved replacement of track laying machines project at the cost of Rs7.42 billion for Pakistan Railways.

The CDWP met with Deputy Chairman, Planning Commission (DCPC) Mohammad Jehanzeb Khan in the chair at P-Block Secretariat on Monday.

The meeting was attended by the Secretary Railways and other relevant stakeholders.

Secretary Railway, while briefing the meeting, informed that the project envisaged procurement of track lifting, levelling, aligning and tamping machine with integrated stabiliser and self-propelled track inspection and recording car.

The Ministry of Railway will execute the project and total cost of the project is Rs7.42 billion, which is to be financed through the PSDP. He said the cost of the machinery included cost of spare parts for three years.

The secretary further apprised the meeting the objective of the project was to strengthen and modernise the existing track infrastructure maintenance machinery by deploying latest machines/equipment all over the operating division especially Main Line 1, besides, other important Main Line 2 and 3, Tertiary Lines as envisaged in National Transport Policy of Pakistan, 2018.

In view of increasing freight and coal business, reliability and safety of track infrastructure is need of hour, which can be achieved through modern equipments/machines and timely replacement of track machines, secretary informed the participants, while giving a detailed briefing.

The CDWP also discussed policy related issues relating to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) financing for green recovery to build forward modalities of engineering, procurement and construction criteria for development project better; consultancy framework and techno economic feasibility criteria.

The CDWP took certain decisions to improve project appraisal criteria.

It was also agreed that the PSDP financing will be diverted from infrastructure development to support economic growth and digital space to give opportunities for the private sector to invest in infrastructure sector projects from next financial year.—NAVEED BUTT

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022