Pakistan Railways has extended the deadline for submission of bids for laying new railways tracks and rehabilitation/ up-gradation of Main Line-2 (ML-2) and ML-3 for third time. Previously the deadline for bid submission was extended till May 22. However as the ministry did not receive any good response from investors now the deadline has been extended till June 13, 2019.
Pakistan Railways had sought bids against the projects including up-gradation/rehabilitation of Main Line-2 (ML-2) from Kotri to Attock (1254 kms); laying of new railway track from Gwadar to Mastung (Quetta) (900 kms) and from Besima to Jacobabad (360 kms); up-gradation of existing Main Line-3 (ML-3) from Rohri to Quetta (384 kms); up-gradation of existing railways track from Spezand (Quetta) to Koh-e-Taftan (613 kms); up-gradation of existing railway track from Sangla Hill to Wazirabad (111 kms); laying of additional railway track from Shahdara to Faislabad and up-gradation of existing line (135 kms); up-gradation of existing railway track from Shahdara Bagh–Narowal– Sialkot- Wazirabad (182 kms).
The ML-2 route of Pakistan Railway’s network comprises its existing sections including: Kotri-Dadu-Habib Kot, 346 km, Habib Kot – Jacobabad – Kashmor, 177 km, Kashmor – DG Khan – Kot Addu, 306 km, Kot Addu – Bhakkar – Kundian, 231 km, Kundian – Basal – Attock city — 194 km. The ML-2 route joins main line ML-1 route (Karachi-Lahore-Rawalpindi-Peshawar) at Kotri and Attock City. It has high strategic importance as it runs along the right bank of River Indus from Kotri up to Taunsa Barrage, from where onward it runs along the left bank of River Indus, up to Attock.
Further the bids were invited for laying of new railway track from Gwadar to Mastung (Quetta) (900 kms) and from Besima to Jacobabad (360 kms).
The proposed new railway track comprises route Gwadar-Turbat, 164 km, Turbat-Hoshab-Panjgur, 234 km, Panjgur-Besima, 220 km, Besima-Sorab, 91 km, and Sorab-Kalat-Mastung, 189 km. Further Besima-Khuzdar, 101 km, Khuzdar-Shahdad Kot, 186 km, Shahdad kot-Jacobabad, 73 km. Gwadar to Mastung via Besima is new rail link and it will join ML-3 on Spezand Taftan section at Wali Khan station. Besima to Shahdad Kot via Khuzdar is a new rail link whereas Shahdad Kot to Jacobabad section already exists.
