Asad Umar chairs meeting on KCR projects

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar chaired a meeting to review the present status of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) projects in Islamabad Monday.

Prime Minister’s focal person of the planning ministry for Karachi projects MNA Najeeb Haroon, Railways Secretary, Public-Private Partnership Authority’s CEO, project director Karachi Circular Railway, other senior officials and representatives of FWO attended the meeting. KCR project director briefed the meeting about the latest progress on the project. He informed in the meeting that the Karachi Circular Railway project is on track as per the approved timelines.

It was informed that the PC-Is, some underpass and overheads along the KCR Corridor were in the final stages and work on some of them is expected to start as early as next month. Railways secretary also informed the meeting that consultants who have been working on the feasibility study since January 2021 are expected to complete their work by mid June 2021 after which the process for the hiring of private party would commence, which will be completed by September 2021. Asad Umar said Karachi is in dire need of an efficient mass transportation system. The KCR could play an important role in this connection, he added.

He directed the relevant departments to initiate work for the marketing of the project for private sector participants.