Karachi: The Sindh government will assume control of the Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) to launch the long-awaited Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), according to news published in the leading newspaper on August 7.
The 11th Provincial Coordination and Implementation Committee (PCIC) meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and attended by high-ranking officials was held. During the meeting, the PCIC approved for the Sindh government to take control of KUTC.
To expedite the KCR’s realization, Chinese authorities are set to become involved through an agreement. Chief Minister Shah expressed his intention to engage with the Prime Minister to acquire control of the KUTC, which is responsible for the necessary documentation for the KCR initiative.
Moreover, the attendees were informed that the Pakistan Railways (PR) has demanded equal value of land from the Sindh government for handing over the Right of Way (RoW) for the KCR. CM Shah stated that the provincial government had already allocated land to the railways for transportation purposes.
Chief Minister Shah directed the PR divisional superintendent to address this issue and facilitate the provincial authorities’ communication with Chinese counterparts, thereby enabling the commencement of the KCR project.
Additionally, it was highlighted that China’s National Railways Administration (NRA) needed to conduct an updated feasibility study for the KCR project. The CM shared that the feasibility study has been completed and Chinese authorities have to devise the framework agreement for commencement of the said project.
Malir Expressway
The meeting also discussed the Malir Expressway project. The officials shared that the 38.75-kilometre high-speed controlled access road, connecting Jam Sadiq Bridge to the Kathore interchange near M-9, will comprise six interchanges. The project is divided into two segments of 15 and 24 kilometres and is expected to be completed within 30 months. The first 15-kilometre section, from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Quaidabad will be completed by year-end. The second segment requires 138.2 acres of land with a tentative land acquisition of PKR 3.7 billion.
The meeting also delved into the Link Road project, a 22-kilometre, four-lane, dual-carriageway connecting National Highway N5 to Motorway M-9. This commercial corridor, crucial for facilitating access to Port Qasim and industrial areas, incorporates a grade-separated interchange at M-9, with an estimated construction cost of approximately PKR 2 billion.
Iqra holds BS in International Relations and is passionate about writing engaging content on trending real estate topics. When not working, she is either spending time with family, shopping, or discussing shows & movies.
