The track of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) stretching from the City Station to the Orangi Station will be ready by December 15, a review meeting for the KCR’s revival was told on Tuesday.
Chaired by Karachi Commissioner and Administrator Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, the meeting was also told that work on the 44-kilometre route of the KCR is being carried out
at present.
Pakistan Railways Divisional Superintendent Arshad Salam Khattak said the PR is making arrangements to start the KCR on the 14km track between the City Station and the Orangi Station.
He hoped the route will be ready by December 15 or, at the very latest, before the end of the next month. The route between the City and Orangi stations comprises the Wazir Mansion Station, the Lyari Station, the Baldia Station, the Manghopir Station and then back to the Orangi Station.
Commissioner Shallwani asked all the stakeholders to work in close coordination with each other and cooperate with each other to expedite the work for the revival of the KCR in accordance with the orders of the Supreme Court.
He asked all the officials to make their efforts on a priority basis as well as ensure that the objectives connected with the plan to revive the KCR are achieved as soon as possible. The meeting also discussed the issue of encroachments along the route and that of the right of way of the route, taking various decisions to resolve the issues as soon as possible.
The meeting was also briefed about the encroachments along the 44km KCR track that have been removed as well as the work of the repairing and the laying of the track that is under way.
The commissioner was told that the construction of three flyovers and eight underpasses on 11 of the 24 level crossings has been initiated by the Sindh Transport Department, and that it will be carried out by the Frontier Works Organisation.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of the laying of a sewerage line by the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board on a damaged track due to which the overflowing sewage was affecting the stretch from the Urdu College to the depot stations.
The meeting also discussed the installation of a fence along the 44km route of the KCR, and decided that the fencing work will be under taken by the Sindh Mass Transit Authority.
Representatives of different departments briefed the meeting about the progress related to their respective departments’ projects, ensuring everyone that work on the projects has been started and would be completed soon.
The meeting was also attended by Sindh Transport Secretary Shariq Ahmed, KCR Project Director Ameer Muhammad Daudpota, the relevant deputy commissioners, and senior PR and mass transit authority officials.