Rs10.7b modern railway signaling system project launched
By Adnan Rafique

ISLAMABAD—Caretaker Prime Minister Mohammedmian Soomro led a ceremony at the PM House here Wednesday to launch a Rs. 10.7 billion modern signalling system project on the 433-km Lodhran-Khanewal-Lahore section of Pakistan Railways. Speaking on the occasion, he said the system would improve operational efficiency, safety and punctuality of trains.
The project will put in place a computer-based modern signalling system on the railway track between Lodhran and Lahore, replacing the obsolete and manual-based mechanical inter-locking system.
The Prime Minister, who launched the project by unveiling a plaque, said technology was fast improving, bringing in efficiency and cost effectiveness and “we have to adopt new technologies in order to share their benefits.”
Soomro said with railways all over the world improving their performance and service delivery, Pakistan Railways needs to improve its operational efficiency and customer service and make tself financially viable.
The Prime Minister said the government is fully aware of the importance of railways as an essential component of the national transport strategy and has been making serious efforts to improve its performance.
He said significant investments have been made in the past few years to rehabilitate the railways’ aging assets, modernize its technology base and enhance its capacity to meet the growing demand, both in freight as well as passenger sector.
Caretaker Minister for Railways Tariq Mansoor said despite financial constraints the caretaker set-up took up the task of launching this vital project, which was proposed a few years back. He said serious efforts were made during the last four months to improve the performance of Pakistan Railways and augment its revenue.
The Minister said out of the Rs 23 billion of over-draft of the State Bank of Pakistan Rs. 3 billion were paid back, adding that measures were also taken to protect the railways land across the country and 427 acres were retrieved from the illegal occupation during the last four months.