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KARACHI: Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid Ahmed on Thursday inaugurated much-awaited and delayed Karachi Circular Railway project at the City Station.
Addressing a post-launch ceremony, the railway minister said the Karachi Circular Railway was restored after 25 years and the credit goes to Chief Justice of Pakistan Gulzar Ahmed and Prime Minister Imran Khan.
He said four trains will operate daily from Pipri to the City Station in the first phase, whereas the service will be resumed till Orangi by December 14. The fare has been decided at Rs30 per route while the traveling pass will be sold at Rs750.
The minister said the government will remove encroachment on land owned by the Pakistan Railways. He said the Sindh government has also cooperated in the project He said the KCR will be extended to other parts of the city while they are working to restore 12-level crossing on the route.
Ahmed said Rs1.8 billion have been earmarked for the project while a single KCR coach cost Rs900,000. Regarding the ongoing situation of the railways, Ahmed said the ministry wanted to replace coaches but they received a single bid by the same company despite issuing the tender on three different occasions.
The original KCR used to run from Model Colony, Malir Halt, Airport, Drigh Road, Karachi University, Urdu College, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, Orangi, Manghopir, Shah Latif, Baldia Town, Lyari, and City Station. The minister recalled that a local train use to ply between Landhi and City Station he has traveled on the train from Landhi to Model Colony.
The railway minister said a train will be launched between Karachi and Mirpurkhas after two weeks. He said they will strengthen all railway crossing while 15 new coaches have already Karachi. The total distance of the KCR will be 46-kilometre while the number of up-down trains will be increased to ten daily.
