Islamabad:
The Railroad Minister Hanif Abbasi declared on Tuesday that 200 advanced Chinese trains are currently being manufactured in the railway carriages under a technology transfer agreement.
He made these comments while talking at the event “Meet The Press” at the National Press Club in the Federal Capital.
Abbasi called the development of the Pakistan Railways (PR) key to the country’s progress, highlighting the main initiatives taken during their first 100 days in the position they have resulted in significant improvements.
He said that the elevation of public relations is also vital for the success of strategic projects such as Thar Coal, Reko DIQ and regional connectivity. “Without the update of ML-1, ML-2 and ML-3, you cannot imagine the development of railways,” he said.
Abbasi said that 200 advanced Chinese trains are currently being manufactured in the railway carriage factory through a technology transfer agreement.
On the occasion, he pointed out that the Punjab government had assigned billions in the 2025-26 budget, including RS250 billion for three years for the renewal of the Lahore-Rawalpindi track, which is expected to reduce the travel time between the two cities to two hours and benefit more than 30 million people.
In addition, RS50 billion was assigned for the development of eight railway stations, and RS9 billion assigned for the update of level crossings through Punjab to help reduce accidents.
The minister shared that the Baluchistan government has assigned RS3 billion, with the commitment to increase the amount, to improve existing stations and establish new ones. He added that development initiatives are also being planned in Sindh and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
Highlighting the comforts of the passengers, Abbasi said that measures have been taken to improve the general experience of passengers, including the establishment of information desks, sanitation facilities, improved food outputs in the stations, a modern help system and other services.
