CDWP approves US$7.2 billion for ML-1 project: Asim Bajwa

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Information and Broadcasting, General (R), Asim Saleem Bajwa has said that the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has approved the railway mainline (ML-1) project worth of US$7.2 billion.

On a social media website Tweeter, Saleem Bajwa said, “The CDWP has approved and recommended ML-1 project to Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC) with cost US$ 7.2 b. Billion”, he added. 

CDWP approved&recommended ML-1 project to ECNEC with cost US$ 7.2 Billion.Project scope includes dualisation &Up gradation of 1872 km Railway track from Peshawar to Karachi, Up grade Walton Academy&build Dry Port at Havelian.Big milestone for 2nd phase.#cpec #CPECMakingProgress

— Asim Saleem Bajwa (@AsimSBajwa) June 6, 2020

Asim Bajwa who is also Chairman of China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), said the project scope included dualization and up-gradation of 1872 km Railway track from Peshawar to Karachi.

While, under the project, Walton Academy would also be up-grade besides building a dry port at Havelian. He termed the approval as a big milestone for the second phase of CPEC.

Mainline-1 (ML-1) is an important project of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). It entails a complete infrastructure overhaul of the 1,680 km railway tracks from Karachi to Peshawar.

After the upgrade, the speed of trains is expected to increase from 65 to 105 km/h to 120-160 km/h, which will cut the travel time between the two cities to half.

In 2018, the Ministry of Railways and the National Railway Administration of China (NRAC) had undertaken initial work for working on Pakistan Railways’ Mainline 1 (ML-1).