KCR revival hinges on $2 billion Chinese financing: Rashid

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed Wednesday linked the revival of much-delayed Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) with the receipt of $ 2 billion Chinese financing. However, he vowed to remove all encroachments and vacate the Railways land to be used for KCR project within next 30 days in line with the Supreme Court orders, and with the help of Sindh government.

Addressing a press conference here after holding a meeting with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah who was with a team of concerned provincial officers, the Railways Minister said 50-feet area on each side of KCR track with 4.5 kilometers length would be cleared of encroachments including constructions.

Actually, he said, Railways land along the track was around 140 kms on both sides of the track but for the time being, the ministry was going to regain its limited land required for KCR project. "I have also asked the police to set up pickets on the land being vacated from encroachers," he added. Every inch of the Railways land will be retrieved including that allegedly occupied by the Builders of Hayyat Regency project and Pakistan Stock Exchange and the amount received would be used for KCR project.

He said as the federal and Sindh government's bridge financing would yield Rs 20 billion for the KCR. However, he said, timely completion of the project would depend on receipt of $2 billion from China.

He said, in today's meeting, it was decided to form a committee tasked with timely execution of KCR. In the committee, Federal Government would represented by BPS-21 and Sindh Government by BPS-20 officers. Next meeting with Sindh Government would be held very soon to expedite the process of KCR. Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan was also scheduled to visit Karachi and discuss KCR project matters in next few days.

Sheikh Rashid said KCR would have new and modern train and track, not like old local train network and it would have 24 stations. He reassured that things about KCR were moving fast and he was very confident and now this much awaited intra-city railways network would be completed in time.