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ISLAMABAD:
The government has decided to start preparatory work on the Karachi-Rohri section of the Karachi-Peshawar Main Line (ML-1) in July next year.
The government had secured $2 billion in funding from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the project, aiming to complete it before December 2028 to facilitate transportation from the multi-billion dollar Reko Diq copper and gold project.
Minister of Planning, Prof. Ahsan Iqbal, chaired a review meeting on major Public Sector Development Program (PSDP) projects in the railways, highways and water sectors, directing relevant ministries to prioritize timely execution, quality assurance and realistic financial planning for the next three years to ensure delivery of critical infrastructure at the national level.
The meeting, held here, reviewed key interventions in the transport and water sector under the PSDP 2025-26, a press release said on Saturday.
The meeting also reviewed the modernization of 884 kilometers of Main Line 3 (ML-3) and the Thar Coal rail connectivity project, a strategic initiative aimed at improving logistics for energy supply and industrial development.
The Thar Coal Rail Connectivity Project, with an estimated cost of Rs53.7 billion, comprises three packages, including the construction of a new single-track railway line connecting the Thar coal mines to the new Chorr railway station over a distance of 105 kilometers, a new double-track line of approximately nine kilometers from Bin Qasim to Port Qasim, while Package III covers the development of a coal unloading pit at Port Qasim and the power station in Lakhra. The project is expected to be completed by June 2026.
Iqbal asked the Ministry of Railways to submit a clear assessment of funding needs for the next three years.
The meeting also reviewed the portfolio of the National Highway Authority under PSDP 2025-26, which includes 71 projects with a total cost of around Rs 3,407 billion.
Under the Public-Private Partnership (PPP), the Minister highlighted Sambrial-Kharian-Rawalpindi Highway, M-8 Balochistan and Mashkel-Panjgur-Chadgi Road projects as high priority initiatives requiring accelerated implementation.
The meeting also reviewed major water sector projects under PSDP 2025-26, which include 34 projects with a total approved cost of Rs 1,848 billion. The major projects discussed included Dasu Hydropower Project, Diamer-Bhasha Dam, Mohmand Dam Hydropower Project, Right Bank Chashma Canal, Tarbela 5th Extension Hydropower Project and K-IV Water Supply Project for Karachi.
