ISLAMABAD: The Ministry of Planning, Development and Special Initiatives was informed that the PC-Is of some underpasses and overhead bridges along the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Corridor were in the final stages, and work on some of them is expected to start as early as next month.

Federal Minister for Planning, Development, and Special Initiatives Asad Umar chaired a meeting to review the present status of the KCR projects in Islamabad on Tuesday.

Prime Minister's focal person of the Planning Ministry for Karachi Projects Najeeb Haroon MNA, Secretary Railways, CEO PPP Authority, Project Director Karachi Circular Railway, and other senior officials, and representatives of the FWO participated in the meeting. The Project Director KCR briefed the meeting about the latest progress on the project.

He informed in the meeting that the KCR project was on track as per the approved timelines. It was informed that the PC-Is of some underpasses and overhead bridges along the KCR Corridor were in the final stages, and work on some of them was expected to start as early as the next month.

The Secretary Railways also informed the meeting that consultants who had been working on the feasibility study since January 2021 were expected to complete their work by mid-June 2021. After which the process for the hiring of private party would commence, which will be completed by September 2021.

Asad Umar said Karachi was in dire need of an efficient mass transportation system. The KCR could play an important role in this regard. He directed the relevant departments to initiate work for the marketing of the project for private sector participants.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021