Gwadar railway project clears feasibility stage, set for board approval

The feasibility study for the Gwadar Railway project has been completed by an international firm, and the Ministry of Railways is preparing to place the project before the relevant board for final approval, the Senate Standing Committee on Pakistan Railways was informed. 

As per reports, the committee reviewed railway expansion plans, operational reforms and policy matters. Officials from Pakistan Railways said the government is examining multiple options for implementing the project, including possible collaboration with mining companies operating in Balochistan.

According to the briefing, the proposed railway corridor will pass through mineral-rich areas of Balochistan and is intended to link these regions with Gwadar Port. Officials said the project would strengthen regional connectivity, provide a rail route toward Turkey and Russia via Iran, and help reduce congestion at Karachi Port.

The committee was also informed that the feasibility study for the Basima–Jacobabad railway section has been completed, with an estimated cost of $4.7 billion. 

Plans to integrate Gwadar into the national railway network were also reviewed, including the Main-link Express, a 680-kilometre line from Gwadar to Nokundi that would connect the Chagai mineral belt to international markets. Another proposed corridor, Main Line-4 (ML-4), is aimed at linking Gwadar directly to Pakistan’s existing rail system.

Officials said a joint land acquisition survey for the project has been completed, covering 282 acres. Funding arrangements discussed included $590 million in bridge financing for the Nokundi–Rohri section, while the Rohri–Karachi segment is estimated to require $2 billion, with support expected from the Asian Development Bank.

Beyond expansion plans, committee members emphasised the need to upgrade existing rail infrastructure alongside new projects. The panel also reviewed the cancellation of a petrol pump tender at Bhalwal and directed that a fresh tender be issued through a transparent process.

Other agenda items included rail connectivity between Gwadar Port and the Gwadar Railway Container Yard, where officials said 498.33 acres have been acquired for land development based on earlier feasibility studies. The committee was also briefed on operational reforms, including the outsourcing of luggage van services, which officials said had reduced staff numbers through attrition and increased annual revenue by Rs82 million.

The meeting further reviewed a legal dispute involving the Hyatt Regency land in Karachi, with committee members stressing the importance of due process. Regional disparities in rail services, particularly in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, were also discussed, with officials noting ongoing consultations with provincial governments on cost-sharing, track rehabilitation and new services.

Concluding the session, the committee chairman underlined the need to align Pakistan’s railway development with international practices, citing lessons from a recent visit to China, and stressed the strategic role of railways in providing cost-effective national connectivity.