KARACHI: The resumption of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) has now been delayed the lack of arrangements and will now commence from November 19.
Earlier this week, the Pakistan Railways had announced to partially resume the KCR from November 16 in phases. However, the 14-km long track from City Station to Orangi Town remains unclear while the station also lacks basic facilities.
The road crossing in Gulbai and other areas has become a complicated issue in the resumption of KCR and traffic has to be stopped temporarily at crossing points with ropes rather than a railway crossing.
On Thursday, a KCR train comprising four bogies and two locomotives from City Railway Station to Orangi Town. However, the train took around two hours to cover the entire distance that is supposed to take minutes, due to the dilapidated condition of the tracks and stations.
The KCR project is 12.63 kilometres at grade (on the ground), and 30.75 kilometres elevated with 24 railway stations. The average distance between each station will be 1.8Km. The train traveled at 30km/h from the City railway station to Orangi Town. The spokesperson said trains will run at 50 to 55km/h.
Pakistan Railways has announced that it will partially resume the service from November 16. Four trains will leave from Landhi and four from Orangi town in the first phase. They will depart at 7am, 10am, 1pm and 4pm and will cost Rs50 per journey.
The project’s complete track will start from Drigh Road station, going through Gulistan-e-Jauhar and heading to Gulshan-e-Iqbal. It will turn towards Nazimabad going through Yaseenabad and Liaqatabad.
The track then heads to Manghopir and SITE before going taking a turn towards Baldia and going through Lyari, Mereweather Tower, City Station and onward to PIDC and Karachi Cantt.
The KCR would run parallel to Sharah-e-Faisal and pass through Chanesar Goth, Shaheed-e-Millat, and Karsaz before completing a round trip at the Drigh Road station.
