Work on $2.5bn ML-1 to begin in January

Officials from a mission of five multilateral international lenders survey the Karachi Railway Division, as it will be connected to ML-1.—Courtesy Railways

• Phase-I covers 480km Karachi-Rohri railway section• Online market engagement with contractors, consultants set for Sept 8• Project expected to take up to three years to complete

LAHORE: Civil work on the $2.5 billion first phase of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) railway project is likely to begin in January 2027, as Pakistan Railways (PR) accelerates market consultations, pre-bid preparations and other processes required to meet the timeline set by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

PR has announced an online early market engagement session for Sept 8, inviting local and international civil works contractors as well as project design and monitoring consultants to discuss project readiness, procurement progress and strategy, developments since March and other matters related to the first phase.

“We are trying our level best to launch this project as early as possible. The prime minister wants its commencement by January next year by all means,” Railways Minister Hanif Abbasi told Dawn on Saturday.