Bullet train project to be completed in 2 years: Rashid
By Ali Imran

ISLAMABAD—Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Friday said that the Bullet Train project between Rawalpindi and Lahore would be completed in two years. “We are going to award the project to one of the International firm very shortly,” he said while addressing a press conference at the Ministry of Railways.
Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said ten International bidders have been short-listed which belong to the countries like, USA, Austria, France, Germany and China.
He said the project is meant to run a diesel-fed train with speed from 250 Km per hour to 300 km per hour. The track would be of international standards gauge (4.2 feet wide) and the travel between both the destinations would reduce from four hours to only 45 minutes or one hour. He said that the track would be completely fenced to check the hazards of accident.
He said that Pakistan Railways would soon invite bids for provision of 1300 freight wagons. Earlier, a delegation from China led by President Noricon Company Mr Wang called on the minister and expressed willingness to invest in various projects of Pakistan Railways.
Speaking on the occasion, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said that the friendship bonds between both Pakistan and China are all-weather and time-tested. “We are proud of our trust worthy friendship with China,” he said. He said that feasibility study project of Railway line between Havelian (Pakistan) and Kashgar (China) has been jointly awarded to Chinese and German firms with the completion target of 2 years.
Referring to the Gwadar port project, he said “it is a gift from the people of China to Pakistan and we look forward to lay a railway line linking the newly built port city of Baluchistan with Quetta.” He invited the delegation to visit the Islamabad Railways Carriage Factory and expressed the hope that the Noricon Company of China would help improve the PR Carriage Factory through the transfer of technology.
Noricon is the biggest company of China which manufactures around 5,000 railway coaches every year.