Approval of Karachi Circular Railways by JWG of CPEC big Success: Murad

Naimat Khan

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the approval of Karachi Circular Railway by Joint Working Group of CPEC is a big success of the people of the city of Karachi.

“This is the result of our constant and sincere efforts of the provincial government,” he said while addressing a reception he hosted for Joint Working Group (JWG) of CPEC on Transport Infrastructure here at the CM House on Saturday evening.

He said that today morning an important meeting of Transport Infrastructure JWG of CPEC was held here and discussed all the three projects, KCR, Keti Banadra and Special Economic Zone Dhabeji put up by Sindh government. The meeting approved the three important projects of the province and recommended it to Joint Coordination Committee of CPEC for its implementation under the CPEC framework.

Syed Murad Ali Shah said that China Pakistan Economic Corridor wouldl help build a robust and stable economy in Sindh together with generating sound prospect for the province to revive and expand its road connectivity. “This will augment a new era of connectivity through which better fruits of economic benefits will be reaped by employment generation and decent mode of transportation,” he said.

He said that a joint Cooperation Committee meeting on China Pakistan Economic Corridor was held in Beijing, China on 29th December, 2016 wherein he along with a senior level delegation participated. “we (Sindh government) proposed Karachi Circular Railway, Keti Bundar and China Special Economic Zone Dhabeji may be undertaken for implementation in CPEC, which were graciously included:

The chief minister said that the Sindh government talking cognizance of the importance of KCR has approved the feasibility and framework agreement and shared with federal government in order to meet timelines to execute this mega project of high of priority at the earliest. “The KCR is the integral part of the comprehensive Mass Transit System envisaged for this mega city,” he said and added there was a most high public demand for KCR with ample ridership of 700,000 per day.

“Karachi is the most populated cities of the world and there will be ample returns on any investment made in the city in wider economic terms. These economic benefits included reduced vehicle operation cost (VOC) and travel time cost (TCC),” he said.

Murad Ali Shah said “we understand that a comprehensive mass transit system is the only solution to address the bourgeoning population of this mega city,” he added that the Sindh government has therefore started working on various Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) lines which complement KCR and try to reduce the misery of the commuter of this city. He went on saying that the investors were therefore invited to contribute in equity of KCR and other mass transit systems in Sindh.

Murad Ali Shah said that the Sindh’s coastline is more than 300 kilometers long. It has two ports Karachi and Bin Qasim. He added that a new jetty at Keti Bundar would enhance county’s capability to export coal with potential to develop it as a full port. “Five million people living in the surrounding areas would directly benefit from it,” he said.

Talking about Special Economic Zone, the chief minister said that Sindh has already established few Special Economic Zones like Bin Qasim Industrial Park, Korangi Creek Industrial Park and Khairpur Special Economic Zone.

Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah addressing a reception he hosted for industrialists e at the CM House said that the Devolution of powers [by Gen Musharraf] had played havoc with the established government system.

He said that some of the people are still singing the songs of Devolution System but they forget what the system had done with Karachi and other cities. They [city govt] had Revenue powers. “They allowed conversion of amenity plots into residential and commercial ones,” he said and added that everywhere encroachments appeared and even major nalas were not spared.

He said an established and functional government system was changed instead of introducing reforms into it. “Still we are working to recover from the damages the devolution had caused to the government system,” he said.