Work on ML-1 to begin in June.

LAHORE -- China and Pakistan have signed an addendum to the CPEC's framework agreement under which the country's first-ever state-of-the-art mega Main Line-1 (ML-1) project will now be executed with a rationalised cost of $6.678 billion instead of the earlier one of $9.85bn.

The addendum related to the revised ML-1 project was signed by the representatives of the two countries on the sidelines of the recent Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) forum on Oct 17 and 18 which was also attended by the caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar.

With the revised cost, the ML-1 project will now be titled 'Rationalised Upgradation of Ml-1 at 140/120km per hour (Upgradable to 160km per hour)' instead of the previous one 'Upgradation of Ml-1 at 160/120 km per hour' as per approved PC-I, Dawn has learnt.

'It is a matter of great pleasure that the addendum related to the revised ML-1 project and cost has been signed. It happened on the sidelines of the BRI forum held to mark the initiative's 10 years successful completion,' Zafar Zaman Ranjha, the ML-1 project's team leader (Pakistan Railways) confirmed while talking to Dawn on Tuesday. 'And now, after signing the addendum, there is no issue in the way of executing this project under a revised plan,' Mr Ranjha maintained.

Addendum to reduce project cost signed at...