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Thursday March 28, 2024

Half of KCR track in District Central cleared of encroachments

By Our Correspondent
May 26, 2019

Around 50 percent of an anti-encroachment operation to clear the Karachi Circular Railway’s (KCR) right of way was completed on the 10th day of the operation in District Central on Saturday. Around two kilometres of the track was cleared in District Central from the Liaquatabad Railway Station till Moosa Colony.

A heavy contingent of male and female police officers was present at the site during the operation.

On May 9, the Supreme Court had given 15 days’ time to the Pakistan Railways to clear at least 50 feet on both sides of the local railway track, after which a joint operation by the Pakistan Railways and the district administration was carried out in District East.

Speaking to the media, the DIG operations of the Pakistan Railways, Azhar Rashid Khan, said that the operation would be completed on its due date.

No untoward incident, according to the official, was observed, but its possibility in future cannot be ruled out. Houses which were located on the right of way, he said, had been served with a 45-day notice.

More than 50 structures, including houses, were demolished on Saturday. Executive Divisional Engineer Ghulam Qadir said that from Liaquatabad till Nazimabad, there were more than 200 houses which had to be demolished to clear the KCR’s track.

People, he said, were voluntarily vacating the houses and shops from the vicinity.

On the other hand, residents of the area said that they had been living in the areas since ages. “We don’t know where we will go now,” said a resident, Ali. “It’s really disheartening to see our houses being demolished right in front of us.”