| Islamabad: The Ministry for Planning has a set the inauguration for the much-anticipated Main Line (ML-1) project soon, according to news published November 24.
Read: Preparatory work for ML-1 to kick off by year end
The news source mentioned that the long-anticipated ML-1 project will be inaugurated in February next year. In a bid to ensure the project’s launch before the caretaker Prime Minister leaves office, the inauguration is planned to precede the general elections scheduled for February 8, as announced by the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP).
A source from the Planning Commission revealed that the caretaker Prime Minister, Anwaar-ul-Haq Kakar, is set to officiate the project’s inauguration. Moreover, the revised plan is slated for approval by the Central Development Working Party (CDWP) and the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in January.
Secretary Railway, Planning Commission, and National Highway Authority (NHA) officials have received directives to finalize arrangements by January.
Read: Govt seeks investment for Multan-Lahore section of ML-1 on BOT basis
The revised ML-1 plan comes with a price tag of USD 6.7 billion, breaking down into USD 2.7 billion for phase one, USD 2.6 billion for phase two, and USD 1.4 billion for phase three, as disclosed by the Planning Commission. ML-1’s scope includes constructing railway tracks from Kemari to Hyderabad, Hyderabad to Multan, Multan to Lahore, Lahore to Lalamusa, and Nawabshah to Rohri. Chinese authorities are expected to present the approved ML-1 plan to Pakistan within the upcoming week, according to inside sources. |
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