Sep 27, 2021: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday performed ground-breaking of Rs 207 billion Karachi Circular Railway project, at a ceremony held here at Cantt Railway Station and termed it as a revolutionary project and a big gift to Karachiites facing serious transport problems over decades.
The ceremony was also attended by Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry, Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umer, Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati, Federal Minister for Information Technology Amen-ul-Haq, Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s members of National Assembly and MPAs from Karachi besides a large number of the party office bearers.
On this occasion, Federal Minister for Railways Azam Khan Swati said that KCR was a public-private partnership project with an estimated completion period of 18 to 24 months. It would be a state-of-the-art project having all modern facilities including fast electric trains.
By pursuing the vision of Prime Minister Imran Khan, the PTI government was writing a new history for Karachi as it was the most important city of the country. Besides KCR, there were seven other big Federal Government development projects for Karachi in the pipeline.
He recalled the grandeur of the city during the 1970s when he was studying here; also mentioned the tram-train service. Instead of further development, he regretted, over last forty years this international city had been ruined.
He said in the 1960s Pakistan Railways coaches were much better than those of Iran and Turkey.
He assured that within the next few months Pakistan Railways would be turned into a profitable state organization.
Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umer said Green Line service would be formally operational in November 2021, which would be inaugurated by the Prime Minister.
He said K-4 bulk water supply project was scheduled to start supplying water to Karachi in October 2023, but he desired its completion before August 14,2023.
He informed that the work on another mega project of Freight Corridor would start soon; feasibility was ready and a proposal for it had also been received from a Chinese company.
He said though innovations Pakistan could do a lot in different sectors despite limited resources.
He said in addition to many development projects launched or to be initiated for Karachi by the federal government, the work on development projects in other 14 priority districts of Sindh province were on full swing.
APP
27097
