Sindh cabinet takes major decisions for KCR, CNG buses, Aman ambulances

KARACHI: The Sindh government has taken major decisions for Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), resumption of CNG buses of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and ambulance service of Aman Foundation, ARY News reported on Wednesday.

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah chaired the session of the provincial cabinet today. The provincial government gave the approval to release the remaining Rs10 million for Karachi Circular (KCR) project.

During a briefing, the cabinet members were told that the Sindh government had already released Rs15 million funds for the KCR project. It is noteworthy to mention here that the Sindh government had been given the responsibility to construct 11 out of 24 underpasses and flyovers at railway crossings in KCR routes.

Read: KCR Train on Orangi route likely to run after Dec 15, meeting briefed

It has been decided to register the ambulance service of Aman Foundation as a new company. It was briefed that the ambulance service will be registered as a new company named Sindh Emergency and Rescue Services (SERS). The SERS board will be comprised of nine members and the provincial health minister will act as its chairperson.

The cabinet members were told that the provincial government is responsible for the entire funding of the ambulance service. The Sindh government approved Rs1.1 funds for the ambulance service and decided to increase its fleet to 200 ambulances.

Read: Special rescue service like Punjab’s 1122 to be launched in Sindh

The cabinet greenlighted the resumption of 66 CNG buses of Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC). The buses will be given under private management for five years to provide transportation facilities to the commuters in the metropolis. The buses will run from Gulshan-e-Hadeed to Keamari en route Shahrea Faisal, the cabinet was briefed.

Moreover, it has been decided to grant magisterial powers to assistant and deputy commissioners for price control.

Read: Cost of Karachi Safe City project doubles before its launch

The Sindh cabinet decided to write a letter to the federal government for the procurement of 880,000 COVID-19 testing kits. During a briefing, it was told that rapid antigen kits are required by the health department.

The health officials told the cabinet that the province requires 330,000 COVID-19 extraction kits, 330,000 amplification kits, 480 swabs, and viral transport media (VTM) kits.

The provincial government also decided to sign a memorandum of understanding (MoU) between the National Radio Telecommunication Corporation (NRTC) and the home department for the installation of 10,000 cameras under the Karachi Safe City project.