Zeeshan Mumtaz
Pakistan Railways would receive the first batch of 46 new coaches from China by the end of December or probably January of next year, not only to upgrade the rail buses but also to provide modern transport facilities to the passengers.
According to a Railway official, out of the total 230 rail coaches, 46 coaches will be provided as completely assembled and the remaining 184 rail buses will be manufactured in Pakistan by the help of engineers and technical staff of China.
The official further said that new rail buses would be capable to run at the speed of 160 kilometers per hours. A team of Pakistan Railways are in China for the inspection of the new coaches as well as other modern high-capacity wagons. Chinese experts are also providing training to the technical staff of Pakistan Railways regarding the manufacturing of rail buses.
Upgradation of Pakistan Railway tracks
Pakistan Railway was planning to upgrade the decaying tracks as the Khanpur-Kotri Railway track section is not fit for high-speed modern train operations whereas most of the Main Line-I (ML-I) sections are fit for 120km per hour train operation.
Pakistan Railway official said that the completion of the ML-I project under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), would bring the capacity to bear the rolling stock operations of buses at the speed of 160km per hour.”
Technology Transfer between China-Pakistan
China would manufacture 800 freight wagons and 20 brake wagons under another contract in which the manufacturing of 184 coaches in Pakistan would be produced under the umbrella of ‘Transfer of Technology’ project between two countries.
The 138 coaches planned to be manufactured in Pakistan will be produced in Pakistan Railways Carriage Factory, Islamabad and the China would provide spare parts and raw materials for Pakistan-manufactured Rail buses, the official added. APP
