Fast-track completion: Separate project to be prepared for KCR civil structure

ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives has decided that a separate project will be prepared for the civil structure of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) for completing the project on a fast track basis.

The decision has been taken in a meeting chaired by Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar to review the present status of preparation and processing of the KCR and Railways Freight Corridor projects here in Islamabad on Monday.

Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati, Secretary Planning, Secretary Railways, CEO PPP Authority, and senior officials of both ministries participated in the meeting.

Keeping in view the importance of this flagship initiative; the meeting decided that a separate project be prepared for the civil structure of the KCR for completing the project on a fast track basis.

The PC-1 for civil structures must be brought for processing for approval and subsequent funding through PSDP at the earliest.

Simultaneous work on both the components of the KCR will result in months of time saving and completion of the project.

The secretary railway informed in the meeting that the KCR project is on track as per the timelines given by the ministry.

He said that the feasibility study of the KCR will be completed by the middle of August.

In the meeting, important issues related to the freight corridor were discussed and reviewed.

The meeting was informed that the feasibility study of the freight corridor has been completed. It has been decided in the meeting that in order to gauge the level of investor's interest; all relevant important decisions must be taken within a month's time by all the concerned departments.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021