Pakistan Railways on Wednesday revealed that negotiation for a Chinese loan for the ML-I project under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is in progress and the tentative date for the groundbreaking of package-I of the project would be July 2022.

The 24th meeting of the Standing Committee on Railways was held under the chairmanship of MNA Muhammad Mueen Wattoo.

The Committee slammed the Railways department, saying there was no ground progress on the project. Railways informed the Committee at the beginning of 2020 that the Chinese loan has been approved and the groundbreaking of the project would be launched, however, it never took place, the Committee lamented.

The Chief Executive Officer informed the Committee that all the technical issues related to the ML-I project have been settled. Preliminary design of the project and tender documents of package-I for the hiring of the contractor are ready. He briefed that negotiation for a Chinese loan about package-I is in progress and it will be finalized in December 2021. The tentative time for the groundbreaking of package-I of the project would be July 2022.

The CEO informed that CCTV cameras are installed to watch the auction process and weighing of auction material for the contractor. He informed that Committee can be invited to observe the auction process as and when the auction tender is floated by Pakistan Railways. The Committee agreed to nominate one or two Members to look into the auction process. Later, the Committee discussed the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project.

The meeting was attended by Muhammad Basheer Khan, Sheikh Rashid Shafique, Aftab Jehangir, Nusrat Wahid, Engr. Sabir Hussain Kaim Khani, Ch. Muhammad Hamid Hameed, Muhammad Khan Daha, and Abdul Wasay. The senior officers from the Ministry of Railways, Pakistan Railways, and Railways Police were also present in the meeting.

Source: Pro Pakistani