LAHORE: Pakistan Railways, with support from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), completed the second pre-market consultation for the Karachi-Rohri section of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) upgradation project on Tuesday.

The consultation drew as many as 134 participants, including national and international contractors, consultants, equipment suppliers, and manufacturers.

The Karachi-Rohri ML-1 upgradation project is a priority initiative of the federal government, with preparations being expedited under Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to modernise the country’s railway infrastructure and improve the safety, efficiency and reliability of rail services.

According to a Pakistan Railways spokesperson, participants shared their views and suggestions on various aspects of the project. The feedback is expected to help shape the procurement strategy and further strengthen the project preparation process.

134 firms attend Karachi-Rohri section pre-market meeting

The strong participation from market representatives and the constructive exchange of views contributed to what officials described as an effective and productive consultation process.

“The PR expects continued engagement with the market to help promote a competitive and transparent procurement process that benefits the government, development partners, industry stakeholders and, ultimately, the public,” he said.

Civil work on the $2.5 billion first phase of the Main Line-1 (ML-1) project is likely to begin in January 2027.

The first phase of ML-1 covers the 480 km Karachi-Rohri/Sukkur section, where new up and down tracks will be laid, along with fencing on both sides to prevent unauthorised access by people, animals and vehicles.

The project is expected to take two to three years to complete and will serve a corridor carrying 76pc of passenger and 98pc of freight traffic, while connecting major population centres and industrial zones.

The project is expected to be financed by the Asian Development Bank, with co-financing being explored from AIIB, EIN, the World Bank and IsDB.

Its indicative scope includes civil and track works on the Keamari-Landhi-Hyderabad, Hyderabad-Nawabshah and Nawabshah-Rohri sections, including track reconstruction, limited realignments, bridges, culverts and other structures, stations, freight yards and buildings.

The plan also includes upgrading Walton Academy, signalling and telecommunications across the corridor, project management and supervision consultancy services.

Published in Dawn, September 9th, 2026