PM to perform groundbreaking of Karachi Circular Railway today

Prime Minister Imran Khan will perform the groundbreaking of the Karachi Circular Railway today, which is expected to ferry nearly half a million passengers daily.

According to the details, Karachi Circular Railway is being revamped to resolve the transportation issues in the city and to facilitate daily commute for Karachiites.

Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will be 43 km long (with 29km elevated) dual carriage track with 22 stations.
Infrastructure development for KCR will include overhead bridges & underpasses worth Rs. 27 billion (Federal government 21b + Sindh government 6b).

Karachi’s current transport system has been in a state of disrepair for decades, leaving the people in dire straits.

All is set for the much-awaited launch of the enormous Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) as Prime Minister @ImranKhanPTI will perform the groundbreaking of the project today, which is expected to ferry nearly half-a-million passengers daily.

#KCRBecomesReality pic.twitter.com/UDeCQO25SC

— PTI (@PTIofficial) September 27, 2021

Earlier, Prime Minister Imran Khan Sunday while lauding efforts of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, termed the inclusion of Karachi Comprehensive Coastal Development Zone in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) as a ‘game changer’.

He expressed the hope that it would help in cleaning up marine habitat for fishermen, develop low-income housing units and creating investment opportunities.

The quantum of expected investment was approximately US $ 3.5 billion. Karachi Coastal Comprehensive Development Zone  (KCCDZ) would be a flagship project for not only Pakistan but also the entire region. He said KCCDZ would also provide residential resettlement to more than 20,000 families living in the surrounding slums.

The environment-friendly mega KCCDZ envisaged four new berths for KPT. It would also house a state-of-the-art fishing port with a world-class fisheries export processing zone to boost Pakistan’s trade potential.

It would also improve the marine ecosystem and reduce pollution. KCCDZ would connect the rest of Karachi through a majestic harbour bridge rising from behind Pakistan’s Deepwater Port with exit ramps for Manora Island and Sandspit Beach.

KCCDZ had also enormous potential for global investors. It would unlock Pakistan’s unexplored Blue Economy and significantly enhance development and industrial cooperation between the two countries.