Despite approval of the feasibility of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) revival by the Sindh government about six weeks back, there still seems no ray of hope on the horizon, as snail-paced bureaucracy continue to sleep over this vital plan aimed at lessening woes of the millions of commuters of the biggest city of country.
On September 16, 2006, Sindh Transport Minister Adil Siddiqui has announced that the Sindh government had formally approved the feasibility of revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and it would be submitted to the federal government within a week, so that a swift loan could be obtained from the Japanese government for it.
He said that the project would be completed in three phases and its reach would be extended to Surjani, North Karachi, Airport, Gizri, Defence, Port Qasim and other areas.
In the first phase the KCR would be revived from the Karachi City to Nazimabad, in the second phase from Nazimabad to Drigh Road, and in the third phase it would be extended to airport and other areas.
According to the revival plan whole system of the KCR would be computerised and a separate track for it would be laid from Karachi City to Drigh Road, and all railway lines, signals and stations with commercial centres would be developed on modern lines for the KCR.
However, despite passage of six weeks there seemed no visible development and it seemed that the bureaucracy had yet to realise the importance of this plan, which could alleviate sufferings of Karachi commuters. The KCR was introduced in Karachi in 1969 and more than 100 rail services used to ply on it to facilitate commuters.
However, so-called transporter mafia opposed it from the day one to secure their highly lucrative road transport business and finally this ambitious and viable urban transport system was closed down in 1999 on the pretext of losses.
Due to hue and cry of Karachi commuters the government decided to revive it in 2004, and its first phase between Landhi and Wazir Mansion stations was revived in 2005. But again the nexus of transporters and corrupt bureaucracy managed to block work on its second phase.