A decrepit car submerged in a garbage dump along the tracks of KCR. PHOTO: HINA JAVED
KARACHI: Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah is out to measure swords with the Ministry of Railways, which he accused of creating hurdles in the restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).
"I am loudly telling the Ministry of Railways that the railway land in the city belongs to the people of Karachi and this land will be resumed for the KCR if the possession of the right of way is denied."
This he said while presiding over a preparatory session held on Friday for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related joint coordination committee meeting, which is to be held in Islamabad on November 20 and 21.
The CM was informed that the Railways authorities were reluctant to hand over Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) to the provincial government and a portion of the railway track from City Station to Drigh Road station for KCR.
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On this, Shah expressed displeasure and said that the Ministry of Railways has never been sincere about the KCR. "From the very first day, the railways ministry was creating hurdles in the development of the KCR so that it could not be implemented under CPEC," he accused, adding that Railways land in Sindh belongs to the provincial government and would be used for the benefit of the people of the province in general and for Karachiites in particular.
The CM directed Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon to talk to the Railways authorities. "I will talk to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to settle the issue," Shah said, adding that he was committed to giving the people of Karachi the KCR.
We have worked day and night to get the KCR included in CPEC and finally succeeded in our efforts in December last year, Shah said.
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"I cannot go on the back foot now. The people of this city have experienced a number of deceits, but I would never deceive them on this important project," Shah vowed, directing the chief secretary to talk to the Railway authorities and, if they do not agree to hand over the right of way for the construction of KCR, then take back the land, even the portions where the Pakistan Railways have started commercial activities and projects.
The CPEC-related joint coordination committee meeting is scheduled to be held in Islamabad on November 20 and 21. The Sindh government has prepared necessary documentation to sign the framework agreement on the KCR with the Chinese authorities to start the project.
The KCR project has been approved by all the competent forums for over Rs207 billion. Shah said that the provincial government has removed encroachments from Gulbai, Machhar Colony and other areas.
Now, once all the obstacles, issues and hindrances have been settled, the Ministry of Railways is creating an unnecessary issue just to delay the project but I will not allow this and I feel it is a conspiracy against the people of Karachi, Shah accused. The CM added that he knew how to thwart conspiracies very well.
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The KCR route is 43.1 kilometres (km) long, of which 13.43km is on Pakistan Railways mainline and 29.69km on the KCR loop. The KCR project is in a circular shape covering Karachi City Station, Docks, Karachi Cantt, Naval Estate, Chanesar Goth, Shaheed-e-Millat, Karsaz, Drigh Road, Drigh Colony, Star Gate, Jinnah Terminal, Hill View, Jauhar, Aladin Park, Nipa, Gilani, Yasinabad, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, Orangi, Habib Bank, Manghopir, SITE, Shah Abdul Latif, Baldia Wazir Mansion, Tower and Karachi City.
Shah directed Planning and Development Chairperson Mohammad Waseem to get all the paperwork ready and discuss it with him so that the framework agreement could be signed in Islamabad.
The Sindh government is also taking two more projects, the Keti Bandar port and Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, to the joint coordination committee meeting. Waseem was directed to get the title of the land transferred in the name of the 'Special Economic Zone'. On this, the chief secretary said the process of transferring the title of the land from the Board of Revenue to the economic zone is in process and would be done in time for the meeting.
Waseem told the CM that the preparation of the feasibility of the Keti Bandar project was at an advanced stage. "The provincial government will decide the timeframe for submission of the feasibility with CPEC-related Chinese authorities and then the project will be submitted for approval at local forums," Waseem said.
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