Pakistan's $8.2 Billion Rail Upgrade to Link with China, Russia, Central Asia & Europe
Pakistan government has approved an $ 8.2 billion project to upgrade the 1,872 km Karachi - Peshawar rail track, bridges, tunnels, and culverts, according to International Railway Journal . The new track will support increased axle load of up to 25 tons, up from 22.8 tons which is now the norm in South Asian countries. The higher axle load capacity will allow heavier freight trains carrying more freight per train for greater trade overland. China will provide 85% of the financing for the project. It will be done in two phases, with the first due for completion in December 2017 and the second in 2021. It will be part of an international rail link that will connect Pakistan with China, Russia , Central Asia and Europe. It will extend south from the city of Kashgar in the Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region in Western China to Pakistan's deep-sea Gwadar Por t on the Arabian Sea , according to Zhang Chunlin, director of Xinjiang's regional develop...