City administration to expedite KCR revival

Tracks to be laid between Karachi City Station and Orangi Town within two months

KARACHI:

Following the Supreme Court's order regarding the restoration of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), the city administration is looking to expedite the work in coordination with Pakistan Railways (PR) and other relevant departments.

Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the progress of the project and resolve the challenges it was facing.

It was decided in the meeting to complete the work of laying railway tracks from Karachi City Station to Orangi Town within two months, through all the railway stations located along the 14-kilometre route. This is to be done so a trial run for the train service can be carried out before it is launched.

Karachi divisional superintendent (DS) Arshad Salam Khattak briefed the commissioner about the project's progress and the steps being taken for the KCR's restoration.

He pointed out that the sewerage infrastructure needed to be replaced from Urdu Bazar to Depot Hill Station. The meeting decided that the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) would take up this task, which according to the meeting's participants, was one of the hurdles for the railway's restoration, on a priority basis.

KWSB head Asadullah Khan assured the participants of the meeting that the department would comply with the decision and improve the infrastructure.

Meanwhile, a Sindh Planning and Development Department official apprised the participants of the meeting that the installation of fences on both sides of the railway track along the route would start by next week since the planning and tendering process had been completed.

The meeting was also attended by Security DIG Maqsood Ahmad, PR chief engineer Ameer Mohammad Daudpota, additional deputy commissioners of different districts, officials of the Sindh Building Control Authority and Sindh Transport and Mass Transit Department.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 13^th, 2020.