KARACHl: The Sindh government and Pakistan Railways signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) to lay a 105-kilometrelong track connecting Thar coalfield with the national railway network at Chhor.

The MOU was signed by Sindh Energy Secretary Musaddiq Ahmed Khan and PR`s Chief Marketing Officer Muhammad Farooq Iqbal at a ceremony held here at the secretariat of the energy department.

Speaking on the occasion, Sindh Energy Minister Nasir Shah said that the new track was aimed at transporting Thar coal to various power plants across the country.

He emphasised that Thar coal has the full potential to meet the country`s energy needs.

According to a press release issued here, a 105-km-long track will be laid from Thar coalfield to Chhor railway line with an estimated cost of Rs75 billion.

The project will be completed within two years. Additionally, a nine-km-long railway track will be constructed from Bin Qasim to Port Qasim.

It said that both the federal and Sindh governments will have an equal 50 per cent share in the project.

The profits generated from the project will also be shared equally between the provincial and federal governments.