Sindh govt fully cooperating for Karachi’s circular Railway project: Rashid

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid said on Sunday that Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and chief secretary Sindh are fully cooperating in order to implement the plan for the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

Talking to media after his visit to the KCR, the federal minister said that there was no tussle with the Sindh government on the project and that the KCR map will be shared tomorrow.

Maintaining that the Sindh government and Centre are on the same page regarding on the railway project, he said that it will fully implement the orders of the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Read more: Karachi Circular Railway should start this year, directs CJP

Noting that the government is spending over Rs10bn on the project, Rashid said that the Supreme Court has issued orders regarding the removal of encroachments along railway tracks.

He further said that he would come to Karachi every 15 days to inspect the progress on the project.

CJP orders govt to restore KCR by this year

In August, Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed issued instructions to secretary railways during the hearing of a case on the restoration of the mass-transit system to restore the KCR by this year.

The chief justice had rejected the statement of the secretary transport regarding the rehabilitation of the KCR track in the city and also reprimanded the secretary railways.

"[The] time we had given you for the restoration of the circular railway was running out and we would take contempt action against you," the CJ had remarked.

The secretary transport had informed the court that there were 24 crossings on the track and that underpasses or overhead bridges needed to be constructed at 10 intersections.

He added that from these 10 crossings more than 2000 vehicles pass through while the remaining 14 intersections have no traffic.

“Rs5 billion have been allocated for the construction and the tender process will be completed this week,” secretary transport had said.

To this, the chief justice had remarked: "Will you continue to extend the time like this or will the process ever be completed? Work on the superhighway is not complete yet, you will spend five to ten years in the project."

The CJP then inquired about the time required for the construction of gates, to which the secretary railways said that it would take six more months.

Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed had then told the official to keep this in mind that the KCR has to run this year.