'Encroachments on some portions of KCR track due to be cleared'

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said on Saturday that encroachments on a five-kilometre-long portion of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) are due to be cleared for the complete revival of an approximately 43-kilometre-long track, ARY News reported.

Sindh CM Syed Murad Ali Shah made the statement while chairing a session regarding the progress of revival plan of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

” KCR project had been launched in 1964 and it remained functional till 1984 while it was halted in 1999. The Sindh government had taken initiative for the revival of KCR in 2006. The estimated cost of the KCR project was $2.6 billion at that time, however, JAICA dissociated from the project after the feasibility process in 2012.”

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The chief minister said that KCR had been included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) project over his request by the then prime minister in 2016 as “12-kilometre-long portion of KCR track was overlapping with ML-1.”

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CM Shah said, “The project was approved by Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) in 2017 with the cost of $207.6 billion. KCR route is 43.13-kilometre-long including 14.95-kilometre at grade and 28.18-kilometre elevated with 24 railway stations to provide high capacity services to 550,000 passengers on a daily basis.”

“Sindh government will provide maximum support to the railway officials for the revival of KCR.

During the session, secretary railway briefed the chief minister that KCR routes will be revived in line with its allotment plan within the next six months besides the continuation of development work for meeting its requirements on modern lines.

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Earlier on September 30, the Sindh cabinet had approved the release of Rs97 million for Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project. The decision was taken during a meeting of the Sindh cabinet chaired by Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah.

The provincial cabinet had decided to release the amount on the request of the local government. The meeting also turned down a proposal of the use of the Re-gasified Liquefied Natural Gas (RLNG) in the province. Sindh cabinet also approved granting the land to the gas company for laying pipeline in the province.