Bullet train for Lahore, Rawalpindi approved in Pakistan
By Sarah Kamal 'Pakistan Times' Staff Reporter

RAWALPINDI: President General Pervez Musharraf has approved introduction of “bullet train” between Rawalpindi and Lahore.

Federal Minister for Railways Shaikh Rashid Ahmad said the speed of the bullet train would be 250km per hour and it would reach Lahore in one hour and 15 minutes.

Ahmad said a separate track on standard gauge would be laid along the existing tracks but will have fully fenced to avoid any interference. The feasibility study for this project would be completed in four months, he said.

Musharraf had desired to inaugurate the bullet train himself, the minister said.

Meanwhile, speaking at the opening of the high-speed passenger coach workshop at the Carriage Factory in Islamabad, Musharraf said Pakistan would be converted into a trade corridor by linking Gwadar deep seaport with the regional countries through an efficient communication infrastructure including rail network.

The opening of the workshop has taken Pakistan Railways towards self-reliance and modernisation.

The capacity of the factory to fabricate, renovate, rehabilitate and converse passenger coaches has now been increased from 150 to 225 coaches annually.

Referring to Pakistan’s geo-strategic location, Musharraf said Pakistan served as an economic and trade hub to the Central Asian Republics, the Gulf, the Middle East, Western China and South Asia.

The railways will be upgraded and modernised along with efficient network of roads and ports for promoting regional trade, he declared.

Earlier, Ahmad informed the president about the future expansion plans and modernisation of Pakistan Railways including laying of rail tracks linking Gwadar with Quetta and onward to Chaman on Iranian border and Spin Boldak on the Afghan border at an estimated cost of Rs. 75bn.

The president gave his approval to a pre-feasibility study for laying rail tracks from Havelian to Khunjrab Pass to be conducted by a German firm to link China with the Gwadar Deep Seaport.●