Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) is back on the agenda as Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and Federal Minister for Railways Hanif Abbasi agreed to work closely on its revival, along with other railway projects in Karachi.
Both sides decided to cooperate in clearing encroachments, outsourcing services and upgrading the Karachi-Rohri passenger train.
The KCR project, first studied by JICA between 2008 and 2013 and later included in CPEC in 2016, is expected to cost over $2 billion. The 43-kilometre loop with 24 stations aims to serve more than 650,000 passengers daily, linking the eastern and western as well as northern and southern parts of the city.
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However, the revised feasibility report is still awaiting approval from China.
In addition, Federal Minister Abbasi announced that railway tracks between Karachi and Sukkur would be upgraded and a new air-conditioned Karachi-Rohri passenger train would be introduced for Rs. 6 billion.
