ECNEC gives go-ahead to Rs20.715bln infrastructure projects for KCR

ISLAMABAD: The Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (ECNEC) on Friday approved infrastructure for elimination of level crossings for the loop section of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

Finance minister Shaukat Tarin presided over the ECNEC meeting. The project will be sponsored and executed by the ministry of Railways.

The project envisages construction of flyovers and underpasses along the route of KCR for elimination of 22-level crossings.

The rationalized cost of the project is Rs20.715 billion on cost sharing basis and the project will facilitate the free movement of the KCR train.

KCR envisaged the construction of a 43km-long world-class affordable mass transit system using environment-friendly electric trains.

Asad Umar minister for Planning and Special Initiatives said the ECNEC has approved Rs20.7 billion infrastructure project for the KCR.

"The PM (Imran Khan) will be the chief guest at the ground breaking ceremony of the project next week," Umar said in a twitter post. In February last year, the Supreme Court had directed the Pakistan Railways to revive and operate the KCR within six months and also told the provincial government to build necessary infrastructure on the route to ensure that the KCR operation was not obstructed because of road traffic.

In December the Sindh government had informed that it had given a contract to the FWO for the construction of underpasses and overhead bridges.

The ECNEC also approved a recommendation put forth by the Planning Commission that CDWP will be authorised to consider the projects where ECNEC gives decision to approve the project in question, with the direction of rationalization of cost.

If the rationalisation exercise results in downward revision in cost, such projects will be accorded approval by the CDWP and status report will be submitted for perusal of the chairman ECNEC.

In case of upward cost rationalisation or revision, the project shall be re-submitted before ECNEC for approval.

Deputy chairman planning, federal secretaries, representatives of provincial governments and other senior officers participated in the meeting. Minister for Industries and Production Khusro Bakhtiar joined the meeting through a video link.