Karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has recently instructed the provincial transport and mass transit department to speed up the paperwork for the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project, reported by a source on October 6. Read: Pre-booking opens for residential plots at OPF Housing Scheme
As per the details, this directive came during a high-level meeting held at the CM House, where Sindh CM emphasised the need for an integrated approach to bolster the ridership of the city’s mass transit systems. During the session, attended by prominent figures including Planning and Development Board Chairman Shakil Mangnejo and Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, the Transport Department highlighted the Orange Line BRT project, covering a 3.8-kilometer stretch with 20 buses operating along the main trunk, serving 3,000 passengers per day.
Responding to this, Justice (retd) Baqar directed the department to integrate the Orange Line BRT with the existing Green Line, a strategic move aimed at enhancing public commute facilities and further increasing the ridership of the city’s BRT projects. Highlighting its significance as a primary mass transit corridor for the city, it was revealed that the funding for the KCR project would be provided by CPEC, with implementation, execution, and operations overseen by the Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC). Read: Sindh LG dept bans approval of building plans, maps
It is noteworthy that the discussions regarding the KCR project took place during the 10th Joint Working Group (JWG) forum between Pakistani authorities and a Chinese delegation. Encouragingly, the Chinese representatives expressed positive sentiments and assured necessary approvals for the timely initiation of the project. Responding to this progress, Justice (retd) Baqar swiftly instructed the transport department to finalize the framework agreement within the next three days.
As a graduate in English Literature, Zohaib believes that words are not just a mere figment of imagination. It takes wisdom to be good at them. Following this reason, he is pursuing his career as Public Relations and Content Specialist at Zameen.com.
