Sheikh Rashid says will build houses for those affected due to Karachi Circular Railway

KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid said on Monday that the government will build houses for those affected due to the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project and the anti-encroachment operation in the city.

The federal minister met with Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah today at the CM House Karachi, where the two discussed regarding the railway project in Karachi.

According to a Sindh government press release, the railways minister assured the chief minister that his ministry would extend maximum cooperation to start the KCR project at the earliest. “It was also agreed that the affected people of KCR would be rehabilitated by constructing their houses on the railway land, where available.”

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah also gave details of the KCR to the federal railways minister, saying that on December 3, 2016, he had requested the then prime minister to include KCR under the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) frame work.

Talking about removal of encroachment along the KCR route, the chief minister said that out of 38 kilometers, 33 km have been cleared out and only five kilometers were left.

The chief minister said that in KUTC, in which federal government owned 60 percent shares and provincial governed owned 40 percent shares, had not been handed over to Sindh government.

At this Rashid told the chief minister that he was handing over KUTC to the Sindh government. 

The KCR route starts from Wazir Mansion, Lyari, Baldia, Shah Abdul latif, SITE, Manghopir (The priority Section), HBL, Orangabad, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, Yaseenabad, Gilani, Nipa, Alladin park, Johar, Drigh Road, Karsaz, Shaheed-e-Millat, Chanesar, Naval at Korangi Road, Karachi cant, DOCs, Karachi City,Tower and Wazir Mansion.

From Drigh Road an extension of KCR would be constructed for Jinnah terminal via Drigh Colony, Star Gate and Jinnah Terminal.