Feasibility test

This letter refers to the news article ‘Railways to begin work on Thar coal connectivity project’ (July 27, 2024). Around 123 km of new railway lines will be laid to transport Thar Coal to Port Qasim as per the report. The proposal is a good one. However, I believe that the coal mined in Thar is lignite coal, which means it has a carbon content of around 25–35 per cent and is considered the lowest rank of coal due to its relatively low heat content.

The coal generally imported into Pakistan is anthracite coal. Its carbon content is around 92-98 per cent carbon, making it the highest rank of coal. Before sinking Rs58 billion in a railway line, both the federal and Sindh governments should reexamine the cost-effectiveness of the proposal.

Syed Hussein El-Edroos

Islamabad