The economy needs solid framework/infrastructure to connect supply chains and effectively move products and ventures across borders. The infrastructure is significant for quicker economy development and alleviation of poverty in the nation. The satisfactory foundation as street and railroad transport framework, ports, force, air terminals and their effective working is additionally required. For infrastructure, requires large investment and they contribute to output, good quality infrastructure is important.
Good infrastructure raises productivity levels in the economy & brings down costs of the enterprises. Infrastructure roads & road transport will promote agricultural growth/bring development in area. Infrastructure facilities will help farmers and owners of processing industries to get their requirements of raw materials and inputs at cheap rate and also help them to bring their products to the markets. Transport infrastructure investments, maintenance have a positive impact on economic growth of the country. It creates wealth, jobs and improves the quality of mobility. Infrastructure networks form the backbone of a modern competitive economy.
Communication technology has had positive impact on society. Travel long distances quite easily. Rail transport means transferring passengers and goods. Modern rail transport commenced with the British development of the steam locomotives in the early 19th century. The railway system in Great Britain is the oldest in the world.
The arrival of the railway possible not only to travel, but also to transport goods and information from one end of the country to the other in a matter of hours rather than days. Due to railway improvement in communication will enable the poor man to carry his labor/goods to the best market must be a decided advantage, not only to him, but the community at large.
British Raj during 1855 Rail transport began in Pakistan. A railway line was to be constructed between Karachi and Kotri and work on the Karachi terminus commenced in April 1858. By 13 May 1861, the station opened to the public. This was the first railway line for public traffic between Karachi and Kotri covering a distance of 108 miles.
The social impact of the railways emerged from the very beginning. The railways made Pakistan mobile and opened up new vistas and opportunities for its people. It brought in new expertise and trades, new technology and above all, it gave the people a sense of freedom.
Pakistan’s Independence in 1947, most of the North Western State Railway infrastructure was in Pakistani territory and was renamed the Pakistan Western Railway. In East Bengal, the portion of the Assam Bengal Railway in Pakistani territory was renamed the Pakistan Eastern Railway. Pakistan adopted 8,122 km (5,047 mi) of the North Western State Railway; 6,880 km was 1,676 mm, 506 kilometers was 1,000 mm, meter gauge, and 736 kilometers was 762 mm (2 ft 6 in) narrow gauge.
The Pakistan Railways network is divided into main lines and branch lines. The Karachi-Peshawar line is the main north-south line, and the Rohri-Chaman line is the main east-west line. Pakistan Railways owns 11,881 kilometers of track. All are 1,676 mm.
Pakistan’s Central Development Working Party (has approved the $US 7.2bn Mainline-1 (ML-1) project, forwarding the project to the Executive Committee of National Economic Council for further approval. It’s part of CPEC. China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is a massive bilateral project to improve infrastructure within Pakistan for better trade with China and to further integrate the countries of the region. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), as a pilot project of the “Belt and Road” Initiative.
To improve the lives of people of Pakistan and China by building an economic corridor promoting bilateral connectivity, construction, explore potential bilateral investment, economic and trade, logistics and people to people contact for regional connectivity. It includes. Integrated transport & IT systems include road, rail, port, air and data communication channels and energy cooperation.
Spatial layout, functional zones, industries and industrial parks, agricultural development socio-economic development (poverty alleviation, medical treatment, education, water supply, vocational training), tourism cooperation & people to people communication, cooperation in livelihood areas, financial cooperation, human resource development/integration of civilizations.
ML1 expansion and reconstruction of existing railway, project rehabilitation & up-gradation of Karachi-Lahore Peshawar (ML-1) railway track (1,872 kms).
Doubling of entire track from Karachi to Peshawar. Speed of passenger trains to be raise from 65/110km/h to 160 km/h freight trains to operate at 120 km/h. Computer based signaling and control system. Grade separation to ensure safety of train operations, potential to create 174,000 direct jobs, construction of the dry port of Havelian, ML-1 largest transportation infrastructure project of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor. ML-1 project becomes an important opportunity for the modernization of Pakistani railway. This project will not only bring large investments to the country, but will also directly drive the country’s economy. This will not only indirectly create profits for the country’s related suppliers, but also create a large number of Jobs. ML-1 is a modernization of the Pakistan Railway. As an important opportunity, ML-1 plays a key role in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor, boosting tourism in Pakistan. ML-1 is to be completed in five years. The travel time from Rawalpindi to Karachi will reduce from 22 hours to 10 hours.
The track will have a computer-based control system & signaling, ensure the safety of train operations. The main line will cover Karachi to Peshawar via Hyderabad, Nawabshah, Rohri, Rahimyar Khan, Bahawalpur, Khanewal, Sahiwal, Lahore, Gujranwala, Rawalpindi and Peshawar.
The construction of the ML-1 China-Pakistan Economic Corridor will not only benefit the people of the two countries, but also the entire region.