Chinese firm stamps on the feasibility report of monorail service under CPEC

RAWALPINDI:

Expressing interest in the construction of the monorail service from Rawat to Islamabad International Airport (IIA), a Chinese firm has termed the project to be viable, low-cost and environment-friendly.

The Chinese Civil Engineering Corporation (CCEC) in its study report of the project has said that the construction of the track for the rail service was viable and could be built cheaply.

The report added that the project would cause no harm to the environment of the twin cities as the monorail would be run on electricity.

The track would be 100 kilometres (km) long and connect Islamabad and Rawalpindi. The train would run on electricity instead of bio-fuel, making it environment-friendly, it said.

From Rawat to Soan Adda, the track would be laid on road, however, from Soan Adda to Kutcheri Chowk and on Mall Road, an elevated track would be constructed for the monorail service.

The train would run on the Metro Bus track from Rawalpindi Saddar to Islamabad Secretariat.

The project is being reviewed and could be carried through a joint venture with the Metro Bus Authority (MBA), said an official privy to the development. A final decision in this regard was yet to be made, he added.

Further, the Rawalpindi Commissioner Muhammad Mahmood has directed to complete the feasibility report of the mass transit service at the earliest.

The government is considering replacing the metro buses running between the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi with an electric train. The project would be completed under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).

In a major breakthrough, the 100-kilometre (km) long circular railway project has been added to the CPEC, it will run along the Leh Expressway while metro bus track will also be included in the project to give hassle-free traveling experience in the twin cities. The culmination point of the train service will be IIA.

The CCECC Focal Person Mir Ateequr Rehman talking to The Express Tribune said the corporation has also summoned the designs from the Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA) and Metro Bus Authority (MBA).

The company is developing the Leh Expressway and the monorail service as part of CPEC. The focal person said that Leh Expressway and Circular Railway were huge projects with estimated costs of around $350 million.