News Paper: Business Recorder
KARACHI (July 21 2010): After Centre's refusal to finance developing rail-track connecting Thar Coalfields with the port city, the Sindh government has tasked the Pakistan Railway Advisory & Consultancy Services (PRACS), a subsidiary of Pakistan Railways, to complete the feasibility study of suitable route immediately, it is learnt.
Sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday that the Sindh government had long been demanding the Finance Division to release funds for the job, however no positive reply was made. In the federal budget 2010-11, the Centre has not allocated any funds for the development of infrastructure facilities at Thar Coal due to which the Sindh government had taken a decision regarding funding the project from its own sources, they said.
Following the present energy crisis the country is facing, the Sindh government is giving highest priority to the development of coalfields particularly Thar Coal for generating electricity and to curtail dependence on oil, they added.
The PRACS had carried out a feasibility study for providing rail link for Thar Coalfield in year 2004-5 that identified seven routes, however, route Varvai-Islamkot -Mithi-Jamrao-Mirpurkhas-Hyderabad was selected. The Ministry of Railways as well as Sindh Chief Minister had approved the route on January 7, 2005. Afterwards, new coalfields were also discovered in Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan and Thatta districts and Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB) on January 9, 2010 decided to include these districts in the rail route so that the newly found reserves could also be promoted.
And on June 22, 2010 the TCEB has approved route - Mithi-Naukot-Talhar-Matli-Tando Mohammad Khan-Hyderabad-Dhabeji and asked the PRACS to complete the job within three months time, they said, adding that an amount of Rs 22.618 million has also been released to the PRACS to avoid any further delay.
Moreover, the sources said railway was the cheapest and environment-friendly mode of transportation especially in case of bulk and long haulage and added that developing rail links for these coalfields would be beneficial. However, the existing roads from Karachi via Thatta and Mirpurkhas to Thar Coalfields were not worthy for transportation of heavy machinery to be used in mining and coal-fired power plants, they said.
-www.brecorder.com
Sources told Business Recorder on Tuesday that the Sindh government had long been demanding the Finance Division to release funds for the job, however no positive reply was made. In the federal budget 2010-11, the Centre has not allocated any funds for the development of infrastructure facilities at Thar Coal due to which the Sindh government had taken a decision regarding funding the project from its own sources, they said.
Following the present energy crisis the country is facing, the Sindh government is giving highest priority to the development of coalfields particularly Thar Coal for generating electricity and to curtail dependence on oil, they added.
The PRACS had carried out a feasibility study for providing rail link for Thar Coalfield in year 2004-5 that identified seven routes, however, route Varvai-Islamkot -Mithi-Jamrao-Mirpurkhas-Hyderabad was selected. The Ministry of Railways as well as Sindh Chief Minister had approved the route on January 7, 2005. Afterwards, new coalfields were also discovered in Badin, Tando Mohammad Khan and Thatta districts and Thar Coal and Energy Board (TCEB) on January 9, 2010 decided to include these districts in the rail route so that the newly found reserves could also be promoted.
And on June 22, 2010 the TCEB has approved route - Mithi-Naukot-Talhar-Matli-Tando Mohammad Khan-Hyderabad-Dhabeji and asked the PRACS to complete the job within three months time, they said, adding that an amount of Rs 22.618 million has also been released to the PRACS to avoid any further delay.
Moreover, the sources said railway was the cheapest and environment-friendly mode of transportation especially in case of bulk and long haulage and added that developing rail links for these coalfields would be beneficial. However, the existing roads from Karachi via Thatta and Mirpurkhas to Thar Coalfields were not worthy for transportation of heavy machinery to be used in mining and coal-fired power plants, they said.
-www.brecorder.com
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