KARACHI:Chairman, National Assembly Standing Committee on Railways Muhammad Mueen Wattoo, Wednesday said ML-1 project will not only improve the performance of Pakistan Railways but also have a positive impact on the national economy,
He stated this after a meeting of NA Standing Committee at the office of Divisional Superintendent (DS) Pakistan Railways Karachi.
The meeting was attended by members of the National Assembly Standing Committee MNAs Muhammad Bashir Khan, Sheikh Rashid Shafiq, Aftab Jehangir, Nusrat Wahid, Engineer Sabir Hussain Qaim Khani, Muhammad Hamid Hameed and Muhammad Khan while Pakistan Railways CEO Nisar Ahmad Memon, Chief Engineer Irfan ul Haq, DS Karachi Hanif Gul, PD Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Amir Muhammad and other officials were also present.
Railway officials briefed the standing committee on the ML-1 project and the scrap auction of Pakistan Railways Karachi Division during the last five years.
Briefing the committee about the ML-1 project, Chief Engineer Muhammad Irfan-ul-Haq said the project would be completed in three phases and in 8.5 years with a total estimated cost of US$ 6.6806 billion.
Deputy Chief Controller of Store Riaz Hussain while giving a briefing on the revenue generated from the auction of coaches in Karachi Division during the last five years, said the auction was stopped in 2016-17 due to low prices. The revenue from auction was Rs. 343 million in 2017-18, Rs.71.43 million in 2018-19, Rs.11.86 million in 2019-20 and Rs. 198.613 million in 2020-21.
Later, the National Assembly Standing Committee members traveled from Orangi Station to City Station on the Karachi Circular Railway. Railway officials were also present on the occasion.