China approves 1,726km ML-1 railway project in Pakistan

Islamabad: China has given the green light to a significant railway project, ML-1, encompassed within the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

The estimated cost of the project is a substantial $6.67 billion, which Pakistan will need to secure with a sovereign guarantee.

This endeavor involves the construction of a modern railway track spanning 1,726 kilometers, connecting Karachi and Peshawar.

The project's cost has been approved in the form of a loan, with Pakistan assuming responsibility for providing the essential sovereign guarantee of $6.67 billion.

As soon as this guarantee is in place, work on the ML-1 project is set to commence, following its initial approval in August 2020 as part of the Pakistan-China Project Copy C One.

The ML-1 project, an integral component of the CPEC initiative, will be a collaborative effort with 90 percent Pakistani experts and 10 percent Chinese experts, working toward its anticipated completion in 2030.

This ambitious project is expected to generate employment opportunities for one to two hundred thousand local residents.

The railway tracks within the ML-1 project will extend over 1,726 kilometers, encompassing various segments.

This includes the construction of a 174-kilometer railway track from Peshawar to Nowshera and Rawalpindi, a 105-kilometer track from Rawalpindi to Lala Musa, and a 52-kilometer track from Khanewal to Pandora.

Additionally, the project incorporates the development of a 132-kilometer double track from Lahore to Lala Musa and a 339-kilometer double track from Lahore to Multan.

Furthermore, a 183-kilometer track linking Nawabshah to Rohri and an 182-kilometer track connecting Hyderabad to Kemari are planned.

Most notably, the project includes doubling and upgrading the longest stretch, a 749-kilometer track from Hyderabad to Multan, promising a significant enhancement in Pakistan's railway infrastructure.