Pakistan's ML-1 Railway Phase I Scheduled to Commence in January 2027

en.Wedoany.com Reported - On August 17, Pakistan Railways is advancing the design review, market consultation, and procurement preparation for Phase I of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) upgrade project, with civil construction planned to start in January 2027. Phase I covers the Karachi to Rohri section, approximately 480 kilometers in length, with a current estimated investment of about $2.5 billion.

A project-specific meeting was held at Pakistan Railways headquarters on August 15, chaired by Railway Board Chairman Syed Mazhar Ali Shah, with participation from international design and review consulting firms and senior railway officials. The meeting reviewed the upgrade plan for the Karachi–Rohri section and project preparation progress, requiring the review phase to be completed by October 30, with weekly progress reviews to follow thereafter.

The second-phase market consultation meeting is scheduled to be held online on September 8, with Pakistan inviting domestic and international civil contractors, design institutions, and project supervision consulting firms to participate. Consultation topics include contract packaging, bid qualification requirements, consortium arrangements, project experience requirements, signaling and telecommunications works, bid preparation timelines, risk allocation, and maintaining railway operations during construction.

Pakistan's Minister of Railways, Hanif Abbasi, stated that early market consultation, international tendering, bidding, contractor and consulting firm selection, and contract award are expected to take 4 to 5 months. The railway department will advance these procedures in line with the target of commencing works in January 2027, though the project remains in the review and procurement preparation stage.

Phase I covers sections including Kemari–Landhi–Hyderabad, Hyderabad–Nawabshah, and Nawabshah–Rohri. Major works include reconstruction of up and down tracks, realignment of certain sections, construction of fencing facilities along the corridor, and upgrading of bridges, culverts, stations, freight terminals, and railway buildings. The project will also upgrade the signaling and telecommunications systems, the Walton Railway Academy, and deploy project management and construction supervision services.

Civil works are expected to last 2.5 to 3 years. Upon completion of the upgrade, the maximum train operating speed on this section is planned to be raised to 160 kilometers per hour. ML-1 serves as Pakistan Railways' primary north-south transportation corridor, connecting major population centers and industrial regions, and carries approximately 76% of Pakistan Railways' passenger traffic and 98% of its freight traffic.

Given the aging infrastructure on the Karachi–Rohri and Rohri–Multan sections, where derailments and railway accidents are relatively concentrated, Pakistan has prioritized the Karachi–Rohri section for the first phase of renovation. The project is expected to primarily seek financing support from the Asian Development Bank, while Pakistan is also studying joint financing with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the World Bank, and the Islamic Development Bank.