Pakistan Railways (PR) has announced a massive rehabilitation plan worth Rs100 billion to upgrade 19 branch lines across the country, aiming to ensure safer and more reliable passenger journeys while boosting inter-provincial connectivity and urban rail transport.
According to official documents available with Wealth Pakistan, the government will spend Rs98.58 billion to modernize 2,479 kilometers of railway tracks in Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), and Balochistan.
Punjab will receive Rs44.41 billion for the rehabilitation of eight branch lines. These include:
Sindh’s allocation stands at Rs35.96 billion, covering six lines:
In Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, four routes totaling 173 km will be rehabilitated for Rs17.22 billion. These include Jahangira Road–Peshawar, Nowshera–Dargai, Mardan–Charsadda, and Peshawar–Jamrud.
In Balochistan, a 33 km section has also been approved with an investment of Rs1 billion.
A senior official from Pakistan Railways told Wealth Pakistan that the initiative represents a major step toward modernizing the country’s aging rail infrastructure. “After years of neglect and mismanagement, the goal is to prioritize safety, reliability, and modernization,” he said.
The official added that the plan includes track rehabilitation, signal system upgrades, and modern passenger coaches equipped with enhanced safety features. The project will also introduce digital ticketing and real-time tracking to improve transparency and passenger convenience.
He said the upgraded network will also support economic growth by improving the transport of goods, lowering logistics costs, and easing pressure on the overburdened road system.
By focusing on modernization and service reliability, Pakistan Railways aims to regain public trust and make train travel the preferred mode of transportation nationwide. The initiative is expected to play a vital role in strengthening regional connectivity and supporting national development in the coming years.