Pakistan Railways (PR) has unveiled an ambitious Rs100 billion rehabilitation program to upgrade 19 branch lines nationwide. The project aims to provide safer, more reliable passenger travel while enhancing inter-provincial connectivity and urban rail transport.
Official documents obtained by Wealth Pakistan reveal that the government will allocate Rs98.58 billion to modernize 2,479 kilometers of railway tracks across Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan.
Major Investment in Punjab
Punjab will receive Rs44.41 billion for the renovation of eight branch lines:
Shahdara–Narowal (78 km) – Rs3.909 billion
Narowal–Sialkot (62 km) – Rs3.705 billion
Raiwind–Kasur–Pakpattan (370 km) – Rs10.709 billion
Qila Sheikhupura–Jaranwala–Shorkot (220 km) – Rs5.669 billion
Shorkot–Jhang–Sargodha (147 km) – Rs7.351 billion
Sargodha–Malikwal–Lalamusa (167 km) – Rs6.432 billion
Chak Jhumra–Shahinabad (68 km) – Rs3.699 billion
Kashmore–Dera Ghazi Khan–Kot Addu (303 km) – Rs2.937 billion
Six Key Projects in Sindh
Sindh’s budget stands at Rs35.96 billion for six railway lines:
Kotri–Dadu (181 km) – Rs2.95 billion
Dadu–Habib Kot (166 km) – Rs8.217 billion
Hyderabad–Mirpur Khas–Marvi (200 km) – Rs10.333 billion
Rohri–Jacobabad (87 km) – Rs5 billion
Jacobabad–Kashmore (124 km) – Rs3.5 billion
Hyderabad–Badin (100 km) – Rs5.955 billion
Developments in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan
KP will see four routes covering 173 km rehabilitated at a cost of Rs17.22 billion, including Jahangira Road–Peshawar, Nowshera–Dargai, Mardan–Charsadda, and Peshawar–Jamrud.
In Balochistan, a 33 km section has been approved with Rs1 billion in investment.
Focus on Safety, Modernization, and Connectivity
A senior Pakistan Railways official told Wealth Pakistan that the initiative is a landmark step toward modernizing the country’s aging rail infrastructure. “After years of neglect, our priority is safety, reliability, and modernization,” he said.
The plan includes track rehabilitation, upgraded signaling systems, and modern passenger coaches with advanced safety features. It will also introduce digital ticketing and real-time train tracking to enhance transparency and convenience.
