The Pakistani government has recently approved the ambitious “Gwadar Rail Freight Access” project, which seeks to establish a connection between Gwadar Port and other parts of the country, particularly the Balochistan hinterlands.
The Gwadar Rail Freight Connectivity project, part of the Gwadar Smart Port City Master Plan, aims to strengthen inland connections, improve cargo flows, and maintain Gwadar’s competitiveness as a modern port. In addition to unlocking environmental benefits, the reduction of the transportation and logistics, and environmental impact through train shipping movement, including freight being loaded and unloaded from the sea leg.
The Gwadar Port and Pakistan Railway Authority have conducted a comprehensive survey to establish the plan for constructing the railway track and related infrastructure. In line with the comprehensive development strategy for Gwadar city and port, authorities have outlined plans to construct a track that will run along Koh-e-Batil and the Eastbay Motorway.
A new track is set to link the docks of Gwadar port to the primary railroad yard of Gwadar, with plans to extend it further upcountry. The Gwadar Port Authority and port operators have started clearing the infrastructures along the route to fulfill their objectives.
The Gwadar Development Authority has begun the process of acquiring 50 acres of land for the development of a container yard, as per the directive of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif. The land will be next to the previously acquired Pakistan Railway land.
A Gwadar Port Authority official has revealed that the Senate Committee on Maritime Affairs recently discussed the important matter of establishing railway connectivity between Gwadar Port and the ML-1 and Quetta regions. In their discussions, the committee highlighted the importance of rail connections in enhancing trade and transportation. They emphasized that Gwadar Port has the potential to become a central hub in both domestic and global logistics networks.
