Chairman Railways inspects KCR track, directs to increase train speed

KARACHI: Pakistan Railways Chairman Habib-ur-Rehman Gilani on Sunday visited various stations, track and level crossings of the Karachi Circular Railways (KCR) project, ARY News reported.

The Pakistan Railways Chairman also held an important meeting regarding the revival of the KCR project.

The meeting was attended by Divisional Superintendent Karachi Arshad Salam Khattak, Project Director KCR Ameer Mohammad Daudpota and concerned engineers working on the KCR project.

Project Director KCR Ameer Mohammad Daudpota briefed the meeting about the restoration work on KCR. The Chairman also traveled on the train and visited the track of the KCR from City to Orangi station.

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Gilani inspected the working of Pakistan Railways on the restoration work and directed the concerned officials to further accelerating the speed so that the people of Karachi could get benefit from the revival of KCR project at the earliest.

He also directed to increase the speed of the KCR train.

KCR project

According to Pakistan Railways, the Karachi Circular Railway project will be completed in three phases. The length of the KCR project was 43.13km, including 14.95km on the ground and 28.18km elevated. It would have 24 stations and its per-day ridership would be around 550,000.

The second phase will expand operations to a seven-kilometer track running from Orangi Station to Gilani Station, while the third will see trains running over a nine-kilometre stretch between Gilani Station and Drigh Colony.

The second phase of KCR will cost Rs 8.70 billion, whereas, the third phase would be completed under a public-private partnership.