Karachi Circular Railway resumes partial operations

Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) has resumed partial operations today, 19 November.

Changes have been made in KCR’s original route as arrangements are not yet complete for it to resume as per the initial plan.

With the modified route, KCR will now run between Pipri and City station, officials said on Wednesday.

The circular railway will not travel between Orangi and City stations as planned, as the 14-km long track could not be cleared between the two stations.

Federal Minister for Railways Sheikh Rashid while speaking at the inauguration ceremony,  said that the KCR fare would be Rs30 per route and in the first phase four trains would be run daily from Pipri to City Station.

He added that a travelling pass for the KCR would be available for Rs750.

Sheikh Rashid said, “In 25 years, the land mafia has taken over the KCR tracks. We are making efforts […] We are fully cooperating with the Sindh government. They have started work on sewerage lines, they have [issued tenders] for over-bridges. As more bridges keep coming, we will increase the KCR [tracks] and the credit goes to the Imran Khan government”.

“We are going to do lots of work in railways and God willing we will try to reduce the problems of Karachi. We will completely modernize [the KCR] within a year,” he added.

Talking about the cost of the project, the federal minister added that: “One coach cost Rs9 million and 40 coaches have been refurbished. Around Rs1.8 billion has been allocated of which Rs17m has been spent so far.”