KARACHI: The Supreme Court (SC) on Monday ordered the Sindh government to construct underpasses and flyovers on Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) tracks in a set period of time by completing the formalities and arranging the financing.
A three-member bench of the SC, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Gulzar Ahmed, issued these orders at the Karachi Registry while hearing the case about revival of the KCR.
During the hearing, the SC dismissed the stance of the secretary of Railways about KCR revival and said that it would initiate "contempt of court" proceedings against him as the deadline for the revival of the KCR was expiring when the secretary said the tracks of the KCR had been almost cleared.
The Sindh secretary of transport told the court that underpasses and flyovers would be constructed at ten out of twenty-four crossings on KCR tracks.
He said that 2,000 vehicles pass through ten crossings each daily whereas no traffic passes through fourteen crossings. He informed the court that Rs5 billion had been allocated for construction of flyovers and underpasses on ten crossings. The Chief Justice of Pakistan inquired about the time period for the construction of flyovers and underpasses at the ten crossings.
"It would take six months," the secretary of transport told the court which remarked that the KCR had to be revived this year.
Meanwhile, the SC ordered demolition of the houses built on the piece of land of Hill Park in the metropolis and directed the commissioner of Karachi to present a report after retrieving the land.
The commissioner of Karachi informed the court that notices had been issued to the people residing in those houses when he told the court that thirteen houses had been built on this land.
The court also sought a report about the ownership of the plot adjacent to Benazir Park in Clifton where a structure has been raised.
The CJP remarked how KDA allotted this plot and ordered that the master plan should be presented in the court.
Counsel for the owner of the building said that the plot was allotted legally.
The SC issued a notice to the director-general of KDA and sought the complete report about the ownership of the plot.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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