Islamabad: Pakistan Railways (PR) is accelerating preparations to begin civil works on the USD 2.5 billion first phase of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project by January 2027, in line with the timeline set by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.
The first phase covers the 480-kilometre Karachi-Rohri/Sukkur section and involves laying new up and down tracks, fencing the railway corridor, upgrading stations and freight yards, and rehabilitating bridges, culverts and other structures.
Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi said PR was working to launch the project as early as possible, noting that market engagement, international tendering, bidding, shortlisting and contract awards could take four to five months.
PR has scheduled an online early market engagement session for September 8 with local and international civil works contractors and design and monitoring consultants. Discussions will focus on project readiness, procurement, package sizes, qualification requirements, joint ventures, risk allocation and construction under live railway operations.
The project is expected to take two-and-a-half to three years to complete. The Karachi-Rohri corridor carries around 76% of passenger and 98% of freight traffic and is considered one of the railway network’s most critical sections.
The project is expected to be financed by the Asian Development Bank, with co-financing being explored from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, European Investment Bank, World Bank and Islamic Development Bank.
The upgraded infrastructure is expected to allow trains to operate at speeds of up to 160 kilometres per hour.
Meanwhile, a meeting at PR headquarters reviewed preparations for the Karachi-Rohri upgrade. Railway Board Chairman Syed Mazhar Ali Shah directed that the project’s review phase be completed by October 30, 2026, with progress to be monitored weekly.
PR said the second phase of market consultations would begin on September 8, with expert and stakeholder input to be incorporated into project preparation and implementation.
The railway authorities said merit, transparency and competitiveness would remain central to the procurement and implementation process.
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