Sindh CM informs SC: KCR should be revived in line with modern railway mass transit system

ISLAMABAD: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah informed the apex court that revival of old Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) should be done in a manner that does not rule out the modern railway mass transit system, which the city of Karachi deserves and needs direly.

The chief minister in pursuance of the contempt notice on Friday filed his reply.

A three-judge bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed on November 26, issued contempt of court notice to CM Murad Ali Shah for not approving the KCR design plan and awarding its contract to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO).

CM Shah prayed before the Court to direct the federal government to accord top-most priority to modernise KCR in comparison to ML-1, and direct it to finalise the KCR financing within the CPEC framework, which is pending now for more than three years as PC-1 for modern KCR was approved in October 2017, whereas, the PC-1 for ML-1 was approved in 2020.

Pushing modern KCR to the backburner by the federal government is a gross injustice to the people of Karachi, he stated.

The Supreme Court on 06-03-2020 had ordered the Sindh government to assist in building of overhead bridges and underpasses on the KCR.

When its order was not complied with, the CJP then on November 26 issued contempt notice to CM Shah.

The CM submitted that the Pakistan Railways shared the design parameters/specifications for the existing KCR through its letter dated 28.10.2020.

The FWO through their letter dated 14.10.2020 gave two options.

On 21.10.2020, a high-powered committee meeting was held at Transport Department, wherein the FWO and their Consultant M/S E&A categorically informed that without preparing PC-I for the detailed design and costing, Railway Crossings could not be completed.

After detailed deliberations the committee unanimously decided that the FWO will prepare PC-1 on option no 1 (proposed cost 5.87 billion), for which two percent of the cost will be given to the FWO as seed money, and the Transport Department will hire a consultant to look after the design vetting and supervision of the KCR project.

The FWO on 12.11.2020, through its letter provided design criteria regarding option-I (proposal for 24x crossings) for restoration of the KCR, and requested for payment of Rs25 million for commencing work on detailed design.

The Sindh Cabinet approved payment of Rs10 million in favour of the FWO to carry out the technical feasibility study/preparation of PC-I and detailed designing and costing as per Option-I suggested by the FWO.

The amount (Rs10 million) was later released by the Finance Department to the FWO. The remaining 15 million were approved by the cabinet in its meeting on 09.12.2020.

The CM Sindh reply said that the Pakistan Railways through its letter dated 28.10.2020, stated that it had designed the modernisation of KCR Project on BOT mode, for which there was considerable interest in the private sector.

In order to undertake the project in a professional manner, the transaction advisor is required, for which advertisement has already been given in the newspaper.

Shah submitted that the Pakistan Railways was not sure about the design parameters for the overhead bridges and the underpasses, and in order for those structures to serve the modernised KCR, they wanted the final design to be prepared by the consultant being hired to preparer the PPP proposal.

It is feared that if the overhead bridges and underpasses are constructed based on the preliminary design parameters, they may have to be reconstructed to cater to the final design for the modernised KCR.

With utmost respect, given the enormous financial constraints, the Sindh government does not feel comfortable in taking this risk.

The CM submitted that the design parameters for the overhead bridges and underpasses are given by Pakistan Railways and the design prepared by the FWO. Sindh government is just playing the role of an intermediary.

It may be in the fitness of things, if direct agreement is entered into by Pakistan Railways with the FWO. As it is these structures are to be operated by the Pakistan Railways.

He stated that Pakistan Railways did not allow the Sindh government to even get a simple structure such as a level railway crossing (phatak) constructed on its track.

The CM Sindh requested the Supreme Court to approve this arrangement for construction of more complex structures such as the overhead bridges and underpasses on KCR.

He submitted that that would greatly help in expediting the construction of the overhead bridges and the underpasses.

The GOS stands committed to provide all assistance to Pakistan Railways and the FWO for the project.

Despite the fact that the court has declared the revival and modernisation of KCR a federal project, the Government of Sindh will, if the Court so desires, deposit the allocated Rs3 billion to Pakistan Railways after necessary approval by the cabinet.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020