By Syed Marwan Shah ISLAMABAD, March 23 (INP-WealthPK): The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) of the Planning Commission has approved the procurement and manufacturing of shunting diesel-electric locomotives worth Rs14.761 billion. The meeting was headed by Deputy Chairman Planning Commission Dr. Jahanzeb Khan and attended by the secretaries of the ministries of planning, development and special initiatives (PD&SI), railways, communication, and chairman National Highway Authority (NHA), and other key officials. The meeting reviewed in detail the procurement and manufacturing of 25 shunting diesel-electric locomotives project for various districts of the country with the estimated cost of Rs14.761 billion. The objective of this project is to procure and manufacture 25 diesel-electric locomotives for the shunting purpose of 2000-2200 horsepower (HP) – which are needed for the smooth train formation and operation. The Ministry of Railways secretary apprised the CDWP meeting that the old locos used for shunting are inefficient and causing impediments to achieving revenue targets. He said these diesel-electric shunting or switching locomotives will not only offer consistent and cost-effective train operations, but also provide shunting services. Muhammad Azam Khan Swati, Minister for Pakistan Railways (PR), said that some other projects are also in the pipeline with the help of Habib Syndicate Company and a foreign company, and a memorandum of understanding (MoU) in this regard will be signed soon. The minister said that with this MoU, Pakistan may get shunting engines, 1,000 freight wagons, and 36 diesel multiple units (DMU). He said the PR is in dire need of these three items. He said when the PR gets these items in its rolling stock, it will move on a swift growth path, WealthPK reported. A shunter, switcher, or yard pilot is a small railroad locomotive used for manoeuvring railroad cars inside a rail yard in a process called shunting. It is not intended for moving trains over long distances, but for assembling trains for another locomotive to take over. In the CDWP meeting, other projects including improvement and widening of Chitral-Booni-Mastuj-Shandur Road, and the construction of Mangi Dam in Quetta worth Rs34.88 billion were approved. The objective behind the project is to ensure smooth flow of traffic and promote the tourism industry in the region. Lastly, the CDWP chairman directed the officials of the Government of Balochistan to give importance and due consideration to complete the Mangi Dam by June 2023 – it will allow a supply of 8.1mgd (15.1 cusecs) water to Quetta City.