Sindh assumes control of KUTC to initiate the KCR initiative
The Sindh government will assume control of the Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) in order to inaugurate the long-awaited Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), according to an August 7 article in the city’s leading newspaper.
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The eleventh meeting of the Provincial Coordination and Implementation Committee (PCIC) was conducted, presided over by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah and attended by high-ranking officials. During the meeting, the PCIC endorsed Sindh’s takeover of KUTC.
To expedite the realization of the KCR, Chinese authorities will soon enter into an agreement. Chief Minister Shah declared his intent to work with the Prime Minister to acquire control of the KUTC, which is responsible for the KCR initiative’s documentation.
In addition, the attendees were informed that Pakistan Railways (PR) had demanded equal value property from the Sindh government in exchange for the transfer of the Right of Way (RoW) to the KCR. The provincial government has already allocated land to the railways for transportation purposes, according to the provincial premier.
Chief Minister Shah instructed the PR divisional superintendent to resolve this matter and facilitate provincial authorities’ communication with their Chinese counterparts, thereby allowing the KCR project to begin.
In addition, it was noted that the National Railways Administration (NRA) of China was required to conduct an updated feasibility study for the KCR project. The CM disclosed that the feasibility study has been concluded and that Chinese authorities must now draught the framework agreement for the project’s launch.
MALIR EXPEDITION
Also discussed at the meeting was the Malir Motorway initiative. Six interchanges will constitute the 38.75-kilometer high-speed controlled access road connecting the Jam Sadiq Bridge to the Kathore interchange near the M-9. The project is divided into two 15- and 24-kilometer segments and is anticipated to be concluded in 30 months. The initial 15-kilometer section between Jam Sadiq Bridge and Quaidabad will be completed by the end of the year. The second segment requires 138.2 acres of land, which is estimated to cost 3.7 billion Pakistani rupees (PKR).
LINK STREET
The meeting also discussed the Link Road project, a 22-kilometer, four-lane, dual-carriageway connecting National Highway N5 and Interstate M-9. This commercial corridor, which is essential for facilitating access to Port Qasim and industrial areas, includes a grade-separated interchange at M-9 and is estimated to cost approximately PKR 2 billion to construct.
