KARACHI: The Sindh government and Pakistan Railways have decided to resolve all pending issues involving the Karachi Circular Railway, including the handover of federally-owned Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) and right of way to the provincial government.

This handover would enable the Sindh government to begin the project by getting its financial approval from the CPEC-related Joint Coordination Committee that would meet in Beijing in April.

The key decision was taken at a meeting between Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Railways Minister Sheikh Rashid Ahmed at CM House.

The CM gave a chronology of the KCR to the federal minister, saying on Dec 3, 2016 he had requested the then prime minister to include the KCR under the CPEC framework, issue the sovereign guarantee for its revitalisation, hand over the KUTC to the Sindh government and grant right of way.

He said the then PM [Nawaz Sharif] approved all his requests and formed a committee to look into the issue of handing over of the right of way to the KUTC, thus the project got delayed.

He added that the revival of the KCR was agreed upon in the sixth JCC meeting on Dec 29, 2016 at Beijing.

Sheikh Rashid and Sindh CM agree to remove all obstacles

The CM said on Oct 6, 2017 the KCR project was approved at the cost of Rs207.6 billion (then $1.97bn) through a Chinese loan. The transport and mass transit department had issued the administrative approval of the project on Nov 8, 2017.

According to Mr Shah, the KCR was technically qualified and matured for implementation in the seventh JCC meeting held on Nov 21, 2017. In the eighth JCC meeting on Dec 20, 2018, importance of the KCR was recognised and in the ninth JCC meeting held in Islamabad on Nov 6, 2019, the Chinese side stated Pakistan government should submit the financing request to it.

Mr Shah said he had held a meeting with the chairman of the CPEC Authority, retired Lt Gen Asim Bajwa, in Islamabad and he had assured that the KCR project would be implemented in true spirit.

Body formed to finalise KUTC transfer

Mr Shah said the federal and provincial governments owned 60-40 per cent shares in the KUTC and it had not been handed over to the Sindh government that delayed appointment of a consultant to carry forward the KCR matters.

The railways minister told the chief minister he was handing over KUTC to the Sindh government.

A committee under the chief secretary and railways secretary was constituted to finalise formalities and arrangements of the KUTC handover to the Sindh government within a month.

The chief minister said the KUTC would have to file an application with the Securities and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) for the change of administration.

Discussing about removal of encroachments along KCR route, CM Shah said out of 38 kilometres, 33km had been cleared and illegal settlements on five kilometres were still there.

The Karachi commissioner said the remaining portion would also be cleared from encroachers.

The railways minister and the chief minister constituted another committee under the commissioner with PR’s divisional superintendent, Karachi and other officers as its members for clearing the remaining part of the KCR route.

The committee had been asked to clear the way within a month and submit a report to the government.

The issues pending with the railways included a topography survey and geotechnical investigation of the section of ML-1 overlapping with route of the KCR (City Station to Drigh Road) was yet to be completed.

The design of the section would be started upon completion of the geotechnical investigation and topographic survey, said the CM.

Affectees to be rehabilitated

Sheikh Rashid assured the chief minister that his ministry would extend maximum cooperation to launch the KCR project at the earliest. It was also agreed that the affected people of the project would be rehabilitated by constructing their houses on the railway land wherever available.

“We must make all arrangements, including clearance of the right of way, documentation and relevant paperwork by the end of March so that the financial releases of KCR could be negotiated in the forthcoming JCC meeting scheduled to be held in Beijing in April 2020,” he added.

KCR to have 24 stations

The KCR route is 43.13km-long with 14.95km at grade and 28.18km elevated. It would be connected with the airport just after completion of the original project. It would have 8.3km priority section — from Wazir Mansion to Manghopir. There would be 24 stations, of them 14 would be elevated and 10 at-grade. KCR would have a separate yard.

The KCR route starts from Wazir Mansion, Lyari, Baldia, Shah Abdul Latif, SITE, Manghopir (the priority section), HBL, Aurangabad, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Yasinabad, Gilani, Nipa, Aladdin Park, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Drigh Road, Karsaz, Shaheed-i-Millat Road, Chanesar Goth, Naval at Korangi Road, Karachi Cantonment, DOCs, Karachi City, Tower and Wazir Mansion.

Officials said from Drigh Road an extension of KCR would be constructed for Karachi airport via Shah Faisal Colony, Star Gate and Jinnah Terminal.

Published in Dawn, February 4th, 2020