ISLAMABAD, Jan 14 (INP): Minister for Railways Ghulam Ahmad Bilour has said that the government is working on a gigantic programme to revamp the Railways for the provision of safe and comfortable journey to the people.
Responding to a question in the Senate Thursday, he said that top priority is being given to improve the performance of the department and a number of measures have been taken in this regard. He said a contract of 12.7 billion rupees has been signed with China for the procurement and manufacturing of seventy-five new locomotives.
He said the government has also approved the procurement and manufacturing of two hundred and two high speed passenger coaches which would cost 15.8 billion rupees besides the procurement of five hundred and thirty freight wagons at a cost of 4.1 billion rupees.
He said the Railways track from Lodhran to Chichawatni section via Multan has been doubled while the work on doubling the track between Chinawatni to Raiwind is in progress and will be completed within one year. The whole project would cost nine billion rupees. The entire Railways network is being equipped with modern signaling system and work on the project will soon be started.
Replying a question, the Minister said that the first demonstration container train was started from Islamabad to Istanbul via Tehran and consultants team of the three countries is preparing its report for regular train service.
Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar assured the Senate the drone aircrafts are not being operated from Pakistani territory. However he said the government has already been condemning the drone attacks which are being proved counter productive. He said the government is in contact with US authorities that the aerial violation of Pakistan is matter of grave concern and is engendering the sovereignty of Pakistan and situation is now improving.
He said the government will ensure that there will be no aerial violation of Pakistani territory. He informed the House that Pasni, Shamsi and Jacobabad Airports were used by US only for logistic purposes but for the last six months they are not in use by the United States.
He said that Jacobabad Airport is being converted into main operating base from forward operating base to house the newly contracted F-16 aircrafts scheduled to arrive in mid of this year. He said the project would cost seven billion rupees and seventy-five percent of the infrastructure work has so far been completed.
Responding to a question in the Senate Thursday, he said that top priority is being given to improve the performance of the department and a number of measures have been taken in this regard. He said a contract of 12.7 billion rupees has been signed with China for the procurement and manufacturing of seventy-five new locomotives.
He said the government has also approved the procurement and manufacturing of two hundred and two high speed passenger coaches which would cost 15.8 billion rupees besides the procurement of five hundred and thirty freight wagons at a cost of 4.1 billion rupees.
He said the Railways track from Lodhran to Chichawatni section via Multan has been doubled while the work on doubling the track between Chinawatni to Raiwind is in progress and will be completed within one year. The whole project would cost nine billion rupees. The entire Railways network is being equipped with modern signaling system and work on the project will soon be started.
Replying a question, the Minister said that the first demonstration container train was started from Islamabad to Istanbul via Tehran and consultants team of the three countries is preparing its report for regular train service.
Defence Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar assured the Senate the drone aircrafts are not being operated from Pakistani territory. However he said the government has already been condemning the drone attacks which are being proved counter productive. He said the government is in contact with US authorities that the aerial violation of Pakistan is matter of grave concern and is engendering the sovereignty of Pakistan and situation is now improving.
He said the government will ensure that there will be no aerial violation of Pakistani territory. He informed the House that Pasni, Shamsi and Jacobabad Airports were used by US only for logistic purposes but for the last six months they are not in use by the United States.
He said that Jacobabad Airport is being converted into main operating base from forward operating base to house the newly contracted F-16 aircrafts scheduled to arrive in mid of this year. He said the project would cost seven billion rupees and seventy-five percent of the infrastructure work has so far been completed.
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