Centre, Sindh cooperating for KCR revival: Rashid

The country’s railways minister has said the PTI led federal and the PPP led Sindh governments are cooperating to implement the apex court order to restore the inter-city railways in the country's biggest city –  – the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

“As the KCR is concerned, the federal and the provincial governments are on the same page. Work on the KCR’s restoration is under way according to the Supreme Court’s order,” said Sheikh Rashid, addressing a press conference at the KCR’s Shah Abdul Latif Station during his visit to Karachi on Sunday.

“I am visiting the city to review progress on KCR restoration. Work on the KCR has started and I would be visiting Karachi every 15 days,” he added.

The minister said the federal government will take the Sindh government on board on all matters related to the project. “I have had two meetings with Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and these meetings have been very successful.”

He said Sindh chief secretary and Karachi commissioner are also cooperating with the railways ministry.

“Encroachments on the KCR route and their extent are being identified with the support of the Sindh government. The Supreme Court has ordered that we have to remove the encroachments,” he said.

The minister said he visited Malir and Macchar Colony areas to review the encroachments.

He said the Supreme Court ordered authorities to restore the KCR track for which people need to be evicted from the encroached land with the help of the provincial government. Rashid urged the Sindh government and CM Shah to make arrangements for the accommodation of these people.

“It is an obligation on us to implement the orders of the Supreme Court and clear the encroachments along the railway track,” he said. “The federal, provincial governments and the people of Karachi should have the same regard for implementation on the court orders.”

He said the railways ministry would spend Rs10.5 billion on the KCR project from which Rs1.8 billion would be spent in the first phase. “Twenty four bridges are to be constructed by the Sindh government for which contracts have been awarded to the Frontier Works Organization (FWO).”

Rashid said he will hold a separate press conference on Monday (today) to discuss political matters.