KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that his government waa committed to provide Rs6 billion for development works to be carried out for full operation of existing Karachi Circular Railway but vowed to realize the dream of launching a modern KCR in the city for people of this megalopolis city.
This he said while presiding over a meeting of KCR here at the CM House. The meeting was attended by Minister Transport Awais Qadir Shah, Minister Local Government Nasir Shah, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Advocate General Sindh Salman Talibuddin, Chairperson P and D Shireen Narejo, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Commader FWO Brigadier Hafeez Abbasi, Brigadier Mohammad Yasir Ellahi of FWO, PD KCR Ameer Daudpoto and others. Chairman Pakistan Railways Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani attended the meeting through video link.
The meeting was told that the rehabilitation of the existing track from Drigh Colony/Drigh Road to Karachi City Station on loop section had been started and so far it had 50 percent physical progress. The rehabilitation of a 14km track from City Station to Orangi Station has been completed with two trains operating per day from February 10, 2021.
It may be noted that the KCR’s existing setup had 44 kilometers length with a 30-kilometer loop and 14 km mainline length. The FWO has to start construction of three structures on the KCR route and an elevated 6.4 kilometers structure for Rs11.508 billion against which the provincial government has to pay Rs6 billion as its share.
The chief minister said that he would fulfil his commitment when work would be started. He urged the railway authorities to get the PC-I of the project approved from the federal government. He also urged the railway authorities to carry out fencing work on the KRC route. Shah said that he would be supporting the existing KCR but would also be working to realize the dream of people of Karachi to have a modern KCR. He assured the railways authorities that his government would be supporting railways authorities in improving the operation of the existing KCR.