Thar Coal Rail Link Project Nears Completion

Federal Minister for Railways Muhammad Hanif Abbasi has said that around 60% of the work on the Thar Coal Railway Connectivity Project has been completed.

The project is expected to be completed by December 2026, the minister said while addressing a roundtable conference organised under the Uraan Pakistan Forum.

Abbasi said the government had given top priority to upgrading railway tracks, modernising infrastructure and transforming Pakistan Railways into a financially sustainable and technology-driven organisation.

He described the revival and modernisation of the railway system as an important driver of national economic growth rather than only a transport initiative.

The minister also said that a significant portion of Pakistan’s railway network was still operating on tracks that had exceeded their economic and technical lifespan. He added that decades of underinvestment had negatively affected railway infrastructure.

Abbasi said neighbouring countries had invested heavily in railway development during the past two decades and stressed that Pakistan must move quickly in the same direction to improve connectivity and support economic growth.

He said the Ministry of Railways had prepared a comprehensive Strategic Roadmap 2033, focusing on the implementation of the ML-1 and ML-3 projects, regional connectivity, digital transformation and modern railway infrastructure.

Pakistan Railways is also introducing digital ticketing, smart stations, train-tracking systems, enterprise resource planning solutions, command and control centres and other advanced technologies to improve operational efficiency, passenger services and financial performance.

Abbasi said timely funding was essential for completing railway projects and stressed that investment in the railway sector should be viewed as an investment in Pakistan’s future rather than an expenditure.