Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali has directed the Transport Department to float international tender for Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project so that it could be started on December 25, the birthday of Quiad-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting on KCR at the Chief Minister House, said a statement issued here on Friday.
The meeting was attended by Sindh Minister for Transport and Information Syed Nasir Shah, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Transport Saeed Awan, Secretary Energy Agha Wasif and others. Top officers of Chinese firms also attended the meeting.
The chief minister said that the KCR is most important project and with our constant efforts it has been included into CPEC projects. Now, I want to perform ground breaking ceremony of the project on December 25, 2017.
Transport Minister Syed Nasir Shah briefing the chief minister said that the project has been approved by CDWP in May 2017. Now, the project is being taken to ECNEC for approval, he said.
On this the chief minister directed Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem to expedite the paper work for placing the project on ECNEC.
“I want the international tenders for the project should be invited in October 2017,” he directed.
Syed Murad Shah said that there are some encroachments on the KCR Right of Way (ROW). some factories located between Wazir Mansion to Manghopir are releasing their effluent, some cattle pens and dense bushes have also emerged along the RoW. This causes serious problems in the survey work which is in progress, he added.
The chief minister keeping in view the situation directed to constitute a task force under the supervision of Commissioner Karachi with deputy commissioners (all), metropolitan commissioner KMC, DG KDA, DG SMTC, MD KUTC, MC of all DMCs and DIG Karachi as members. (APP)
