Railways undertakes removal of encroachments for Karachi Circular Railways

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Railways in pursuance of orders of Supreme Court, had undertaken the task of removal of encroachments along the right of way of Karachi Circular Railways with the assistance of government of Sindh.

Director General Planning of Railways wrote in a letter to Secretary Transport Sindh government on May 22 that the vacated railway land will be handed over to government of Sindh on mutually agreed terms for safe custody and implementation of the KCR project as per approval of ECNEC and orders of the Supreme Court.

According to letter, the revival of Karachi Circular Railways (KCR) project was included in the China Pakistan Economic Corridor programme on the basis of feasibility study carried out by the government of Sindh as per decision of the 6th JCC meeting held on December 29, 2016 in Beijing.

Later on a PC-1 of Karachi Circular projected submitted by Government of Sindh, was approved by ECNEC on October, 2017 at a cost of Rs 207546 million with implementation period of 36 months.

The KCR project was sponsored by the Government of Sindh which was responsible for its implementation.

However, Ministry of Railways and Pakistan Railways stood committed to extend all possible support for project execution as well as resolution of all outstanding mutual issues.

The letter further said Ministry of Railways advised that appropriate action for initiating of KCR project activities may be undertaken by the Government of Sindh, on top most priority instead of shifting the responsibility.

The matter had already been taken up with the Chief Secretary Sindh and Commissioner Karachi.

The letter from Pakistan Railways written on May 22 was in response to a letter of Secretary Transport and Mass Transit Sindh sent on May 20, in which it was stated that Supreme Court in its order recorded the commitment of Pakistan Railways that it will operationalize the Karachi Circular Railway and local train within 15 days.

The Sindh government asked Railways to ensure compliance of court’s orders and operationalize the Karachi Circular Railways as well as local train as they were operational in the year 1999.

The Secretary said the government of Sindh had assisted the Pakistan Railways in the removal of encroachment.