Executing body for Karachi Light Rail project formed

Karachi
The Sindh government on Friday constituted a five-member execution cell for the proposed 18.38 kilometer-long Karachi Light Rail (Brown Line) project.
The government aims to complete the project with Chinese assistance by the beginning of 2018, which is general elections year.
The chief secretary has notified the constitution of the execution cell with the additional chief secretary (development) as chairman and the finance, transport and mass transit department secretaries and Khurshid Jamali, an adviser to the Sindh government, as members. The Karachi Mass Transit Cell director general would also act as secretary.
The terms of reference of the cell would include reviewing and finalising structure of project financing, guarantees, terms of financing and procurement process.
The committee would also consider any matter related to the project as considered appropriate by it in accordance with rules, procedures, and policy of the govt.
In a meeting held a week ago Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah had decided to launch a $1,269.02 billion Karachi Light Rail, Brown Line project on war footing.
The total length of the Brown Line project is 18.38 kilometers, of which 20.63 percent or 3.7 kilometers would be underground while the remaining 12.92 kilometers or 70.30 percent is elevated. Its ground transitional stage would be 1.67 kilometres long. Furthermore, the project would have 13 stations with three of them underground and 10 elevated, and would also have rolling stock base and operational control centers.
The unidirectional peak passenger volume can reach to 20,000 to 70,000 persons per trip.
Some 60 percent ($769.03 million) of the total cost would be a 13-year Chinese loan while the Sindh government would pay the remaining 40 percent i.e. ($500 million).