Parliamentary committee expresses satisfaction with the partial operations of KCR

ISLAMABAD, Nov. 25 (Gwadar Pro) – A Pakistani parliamentary committee has expressed satisfaction with the partial operations of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) on a 14-kilometre cleared stretch of around 55-kilometre route under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and directed to complete the overall route soon.

The KCR, a project under the CPEC, started partial operations last week. Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed said in the first phase four trains would be run daily from Pipri to City Station. Ahmed said there was a huge land mafia on the KCR tracks and the Sindh government would try to clear it.

About the cost of the project, he said: “One coach cost Rs 9 million and 40 coaches have been refurbished. Around Rs 1.8 billion has been allocated of which Rs17 million has been spent so far.”

Pakistan Railways Chairman Dr. Habibur Rehman Gilani said the trains would initially run along the Karachi City-Orangi-Karachi City route while operations on the remaining tracks would be launched later.

The meeting of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Railways was held under the Chairmanship of Muhammad Mueen Wattoo on Tuesday afternoon.

“The committee members were unanimous that the CPEC Railway projects should be completed on time. Directions were issued in this regard. The members were happy about the KCR but believed the whole project should be completed soon,” a lawmaker who attended the meeting told Gwadar Pro.

He said the meeting expressed thanks to China for supporting the railway network in Pakistan.