A 10-member team of Japanese experts from Marubeni Corporation, Japan Railway Technical Service and Tonichi Engineering Consultant on Tuesday presented the draft final report of their over a month-long study regarding revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) to State Minister for Railways Ishaq Khakwani.
To be completed in two stages at a total cost of $832 million, the first stage of KCR operation from Karachi City to Liaquatabad will be operative by the year 2010, and the second stage from Liaquatabad to Drigh Road by 2020.
The Japanese experts presented the report along with a detailed briefing at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Railway's State Minister Ishaq Khakwani.
City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, Planning and Development Additional Chief Secretary Ghulam Sarwar Khehro, DCO Karachi Fazlur Rehman, KCR Project Director Aijaz Khilji, Deputy' D.S. Railways Anzar Rizvi and DG Mass Transit Malik Zahirul Islam and other senior officials were also present on the occasion. Later, Khakwani while addressing a press conference along with City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said the government is sincerely working on the KCR project and some progress has been achieved.
He said during briefing by Japanese experts, he, the City Nazim and ACS Planning and Development, as members of the Prime Minister Implementation Committee, also put forth our proposals.
Referring to Japanese plan of completing the project in two phases, with work on first phase to start in 2007 and completed in 2010 at a cost of $282 million, Khakwani said: "We would also give our input which can be different from Japanese options, while the second phase from Liaquatabad to Drigh Road will cost $550 million."
He pointed out that after Pakistan's nuclear test, when loan facility was stopped in consequence, Japan is now again resuming loaning facility and will provide $300 million in one year. He said this "Step Loan" for developing countries is granted on very low interest rate at 0.4 percent.
Khakwani said that a request will be conveyed to Japanese government through Pakistan Government for grant of this loan. He, however, said this loan will carry the condition that loanee will purchase 30 percent goods from Japan which will grant 85 percent of the sanctioned loan and rest to be contributed by the Pakistan government.
He said if all goes well, then by the year 2010, Karachi will have a railway system like that of Europe, Japan and Singapore and the rolling-stock used will have a carrying capacity of 170,000 passengers a day.
The railway state minister said that application for loan to Japan will be made within a year, but City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has told Japanese experts to reduce this time period because city's transport needs, which were neglected in the past, have grown manifold and now the most modern train system is required.
He said Japanese experts, who conducted the study on KCR, are laying emphasis on introducing world class train system.
He said the Japanese foreign minister is due to arrive Pakistan on January 4 or 5 and by that time the required documents would be conveyed to the Japanese government and approval also obtained from Ecnec and the Planning Commission.
To a question, the minister said that federal, provincial and city governments are three main participants of this project while Mass Transit Programme is being handled by the city government. He said the KCR system, after completion upto Drigh Road, will be connected with the airport later.. For this purpose a tunnel will have to be constructed from Drigh Road to airport.
He said the system will be operated by private sector through the professionals.
Replying a question, Khakwani pointed out that encroachments are a major impediment and these will have to be removed on the model of encroachments removed in case of Lyari Expressway Project whereby the encroachers removed would be given compensation and alternative plots.
He said these encroachers cannot be allowed to be a cause of inconvenience for 14 million people of this city. To another question, the minister said that existing route of KCR, which has been made operative up to Tower will continue to be maintained. He, however, said more expenditure on it will not be incurred in view of the construction of state-of-the-art system by Japan.
Earlier, in their presentation, the Japanese experts explained the causes of suspension of KCR service and major issues in Karachi city which includes rapid population growth, high growth of private vehicle ownership, disorganised and haphazard transport system, absence of an efficient public transport system, increase in number of fatal accidents, air and noise pollution and scarce resource to undertake mega public transport projects.