CDWP clears way for Karachi Circular Railway, Peshawar Sustainable Bus project

Both projects costing Rs84.4 billion will now need final approval of ECNEC

ISLAMABAD: The federal government on Wednesday gave clearance to two mass transport projects in provincial capitals of Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) at a cumulative cost of Rs84.4 billion, which are expected to be constructed with the help of China and a foreign lending agency.

The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) referred the Revival of Karachi Circular Railway and Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project for final approval of the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec), announced the Ministry of Planning.



The CDWP has a mandate to approve projects worth up to Rs3 billion while schemes costing more have to be vetted by Ecnec. In December last year, Karachi Circular Railway had been principally approved to be included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) by the Joint Cooperation Committee of CPEC.

The CDWP approved Rs130 billion worth of projects. It also accorded concept clearance to construct the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M6) at an estimated cost of Rs238 billion.

The CDWP approved revival of Karachi Circular Railway at a cost of Rs27.6 billion. The project proposed by the Sindh government envisages revival and construction of 43.2 km double railway track with 24 stations and procurement of 162 locomotives. The project ridership is estimated at 550,000 passengers per day in the opening year with projected demand of 749,541 till 2030.

Implementation procedure

Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who chaired the CDWP meeting, advised the Sindh government to coordinate with Punjab, in order to benefit from its experience in constructing the Orange Line Metro.

CREATIVE COMMONS

The cost of the project is to be rationalised and conditions of the foreign loans must be negotiated properly, the minister instructed. He also advised that stations and other buildings to be constructed under this mega project must match the historical architecture of Karachi to ensure beautification of this port city.

The CDWP also approved Rs56.8 billion Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project of the K-P government. The project, planned to be constructed with Rs48 billion loan from Asian Development Bank (ADB), envisages construction of 25.8 km long road track, 32 stations with commercial building and other allied facilities. The project planned to be executed in 12 months is expected to facilitate 472,000 people per day in initial phase.

Iqbal instructed officials of the provincial government to ensure the construction of stations and other buildings, aligned with the historical architecture of Peshawar. He also advised to allot separate enclosures for women and prayer spaces on the stations. Minister further expressed satisfaction over Pakistan’s metropolitan cities’ desire for adopting mass transit system. He highlighted that rail-based mass transit systems are being implemented in all the provincial headquarters under CPEC.



He instructed the formation of a joint forum where provincial governments could share its knowledge and experiences of developing urban transport system.

Other projects approved

The CDWP also approved a World Bank-financed Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project (KNIP) worth Rs10.5 billion. The project proposed by the Sindh government envisages improvement of roads, parks, government buildings and citizen services in the commercial hub of Pakistan.

The CDWP also approved the Rs7 billion project of construction of 4 -Lane Bridge across River Indus connecting Kallur Kot Bhakkar with Dhakki area of Dera Ismail Khan. Iqbal instructed that the 14 km approach road to the bridge would be constructed by the Punjab government. In the energy sector, CDWP approved the 30MW Hydro Power Project Ghowari in Gilgit-Baltistan at an estimated cost of Rs7.9 billion.

The CDWP approved six projects worth Rs6.6 billion in water resource sector. The projects include construction of three dams in Pishin and Loralai areas of Balochistan. This forum also recommended Raising of Baran Dam Project worth Rs5 billion to Ecnec. The CDWP also approved a project in the Manpower sector, titled ‘Prime Minister’s Youth Skill Development Programme (Phase-IV) 2017-18’ at an estimated cost of Rs6 billion.



The CDWP approved three projects in education sector worth Rs3.16 billion. The forum also reviewed two position papers in education and water resources sectors. It includes Extension of Right Bank Outfall Drain from Sehwan to Sea at Gharo (RBOD-II) (2nd Revised with estimated cost of 61.6 billion. Iqbal instructed to speed  up work on this project in order to avoid any further delay.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 4^th, 2017.

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