Encroachments on track of KCR to be removed within 15 days: Sheikh Rashid

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways, Sheikh Rashid on Monday said that all stakeholders including Sindh Government were on the same page for implementation of Supreme Court's orders regarding Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

Talking to media after chairing a meeting on revival of KCR, he said that 50 on each sides of KCR track would be got vacated from the encroachers within 15 days.

Sheikh Rashid said that a strategy has been devised to functionalize the KCR. In first phase encroachments on both sides of tracks would be removed following the directions of the court.

Responding to a question, he said that the iftar-dinners of opposition does not affect the government at all. "Government was taking measures to eliminate poverty, reducing prices of gas and power and in this context any positive suggestions even from the opposition would be welcomed," he said adding that the economy was facing challenges because of incompetency and corruption in the last 10 years of PPP and PML-N.

To another query, he replied that the Sindh Health Minister should resign after reporting of such numbers of AIDS cases in Larkana.

Sheikh Rashid said that the incumbent government started four trains in Sindh. The government was focusing on provision of better traveling facilities to the masses of interior Sindh.

Also, present on the occasion, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar seconding the federal minister on revival of KCR said that implementation of court's orders would be ensured with the coordination of all the stakeholders.

He said that 50% of the city was encroached and there were theft of power, gas and water also.

Wasim Akhtar said that Karachi Master Plan was not implemented and the institutions concerned did not play their due role.

The Mayor said that revival of KCR was the need of the hour for the provision of relief to the citizens.

Earlier, the federal minister chaired a meeting regarding the revival of KCR at City Station, which was attended by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Ali Shallwani, Mayor Karachi Wasim Akhtar  and other stakeholders.

The minister was briefed in detail about the history and current status of the KCR project.