The Sindh Government - one of the major stakeholders of Karachi Circular Railway project (KCR), seems to have serious objections to the modus operandi of the ongoing anti-encroachment operation along the KCR route, as the provincial ministers called for alternate locations for those affected by the project, prior to demolition of their houses .
Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Adviser to the Chief Minister on Information, Law and Anti-Corruption Barrister Murtaza Wahab and Energy Minister Imtiaz Shaikh expressed solidarity with the affected families.
They joined the protesting families at their demonstration outside Karachi Press Club against demolition of their houses Sunday.
Ghani said revival of KCR is crucial to ease the traffic woes of the metropolis; however, the authorities concerned should provide alternate location to the people affected by the project, first.
"We had requested the Supreme Court in this regard," he recalled.
The PPP-led provincial government raised its concerns over the anti-encroachment operation days after the Railways authorities razed hundreds of houses, structures, shops, etc, built along the KCR route across the city.
Sindh LG minister said that the CM has directed the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) to arrange alternate locations for the families on a temporary basis. The government is making efforts to find permanent solution for settlement the KCR affected families.
It is relevant to mention here that around 4,600 encroachers were identified after a long survey conducted by the KCR project management a few years back. A land of 223 acre had also been allocated for the project affected persons in Shah Abdul Latif Town Karachi. But, the settlement issue still remains unresolved, causing inordinate delay in the revival of important public sector transport project.
Pakistan Railways (PR) along with the civic authorities kicked off a joint anti-encroachment operation on May 15 complying with the May 9, 2019 Supreme Court directions. The operation is aimed at retrieving around 20 acre area of the KCR land.
The PR authorities focused to clear the right of way (RoW) of the KCR, and hand it over to the provincial government in the first phase of the drive.
Officials said, once the long-delayed KCR gets fully operationalised, over 600,000 people would benefit from this fast and economic commuter service across the metropolis.
According to official documents, PR had opened and operated KCR for traffic in 1964. It was patronised till 1984. Around 104 trains operated (24 KCR loop and 80 on main line) carrying over 6 million passengers annually.
However, due to lack of investment in infrastructure, rolling stock etc, the operational efficiency was marginalised, causing increase of running time, lesser number of trains resulting in reduction of passengers and eventually KCR was closed for traffic in December 1999.
In December 2004, government decided to revive KCR as modern commuter system for Karachiites.
It was also decided that Karachi Urban Transport Corporation will be formed with Ministry of Railways, Government of Sindh and City District Govt Karachi as shareholders on basis of their equity.
Government of Japan commissioned Feasibility Study in October 2005 for revival of KCR through JETRO (Japan External Trade Org.) that recommended revival of KCR as a viable project in March 2006.
JICA sponsored feasibility study of the KCR project under aegis of SAPROF in 2009 and SAPROF-II in 2012.
Analysts say lack of political will impeded KCR revival. Despite JICA's sincere efforts, the go-ahead never came from the government that forced the Japanese aid agency to leave the project.
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