Islamabad, Rawalpindi to get high-speed rail link
Wire desk byline Sourced from Xinhua, Dawn, Arab News, Anadolu and Minute Mirror. Translated and abridged by the GSRRA Desk.
Initiative aims to save fuel and time, ease traffic pressure on roads, offer affordable commute
The federal government has approved a modern high-speed rail project that will connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The project, after completion, will reduce travel time between the twin cities to just 20 minutes.
The initiative, besides reducing travel time, will also bring fuel consumption down, ease traffic congestion and provide people with a fast and affordable transportation option.
The decision was made during a high-level meeting on Monday chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi and Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi.
Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, along with senior officials including the Federal Interior Secretary, Secretary of Railways, Chairman of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), Rawalpindi Commissioner, Islamabad Police Inspector General and Frontier Corps representatives also attended the meeting.
The framework agreement for the project will be finalised and signed next week. Under the plan, the Ministry of Railways will provide the track infrastructure while the CDA will manage the service.
The government also decided to import state-of-the-art trains to ensure modern, comfortable and efficient operations.
Speaking after the meeting, Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi called the new rail service a milestone for public welfare, emphasising that residents would be able to travel between the two cities quickly and conveniently.
Minister of State Talal Chaudhry described the new service as a low-cost and high-speed option that will significantly reduce traffic pressure on roads connecting Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Officials believe the high-speed rail will not only transform commuting but also promote economic activity and environmental sustainability. By offering a faster, more efficient mode of travel, the project is set to mark a new chapter in urban transportation for the twin cities.
Reference Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/2567003/islamabad-rawalpindi-to-get-high-speed-rail-link
Zamir Ahmed Awan is the founder and Chair of the Global Silk Route Research Alliance, a think tank in Islamabad. He studied engineering at Shanghai University in the 1980s, and years later he went back to China as Pakistan's science counsellor in Beijing, from 2010 until 2016, working on science and higher education cooperation between the two countries.…
