Citizens protest against drive to clear circular railway track

KARACHI: An anti-encroachment drive to clear the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) has been launched in Maripur amid loud protests on Thursday, ARY News reported.

According to the details, Railways officials along with the district administration, backed by the heavy contingents of police and Rangers launched the anti-encroachment operation in Maripur and adjacent areas of ICI bridge to retrieved the grabbed land and to clear the railway tracks.

The anti-encroachment drive triggered protests as thousands of people took to the streets and blocked the Gulbai-Tower road. Commuters suffered hours-long agonising traffic jam due to the protest demonstration.

The protesters were demanding of the government to provide them substitute places ahead of the anti-encroachment operation. They demanded of the Railways officials to stop the drive immediately.

It is pertinent to mention here that the Supreme Court on, November 17, had directed the authorities concerned to immediately revive the Karachi Circular Railway.

The direction came during a meeting chaired by Justice Gulzar Ahmed at the apex court’s Karachi registry. He had directed the civic authorities to clear all railway tracks across the city of encroachments.

The Deputy Superintendent of the Pakistan Railways informed that railway tracks in various areas of the city had been encroached upon. The top court judge directed the deputy commissioners to remove encroachments from the railway tracks.