KARACHI: Bodies set up to prepare reports for President: KCR revival
By Our Staff Reporter
KARACHI, July 12: Three committees have been formed to review the revival plan of the Karachi Circular Railway and modify its feasibility plan after which a detailed presentation would be given to President Pervez Musharraf.
The committees were constituted at a meeting presided over by Additional Chief Secretary (Dev) Shehzado Shaikh, and attended by officials of the city government, finance department, Karachi Mass Transit Cell (KMTC), Pakistan Railways and others, sources in the transport department told Dawn on Friday.
They said a technical committee, headed by the Director-General of the KMTC, Zaheerul Islam, had been set up. A Deputy District Superintendent (E) Railways and the consultant of the KMTC would be its members. The committee would review the study prepared by the Engineers Consultants International Limited (ECIL) and suggest modifications, if needed, for presentation to the president, in accordance with the terms of reference of the study.
The committee would also examine options in the light of the latest global technological trend available for the KCR and its extension to serve other areas. It would submit its report to the additional chief secretary by July 18.
The second committee, which would assess additional traffic, would be headed by District Coordination Officer Shafiqur Rahman Paracha. It would be a one-man committee (who might co-opt any person) to identify and assess additional traffic due to latest demographic changes and addition of new areas. The committee would submit its report to the technical committee by July 15.
The third committee has been formed for removal of encroachments. It would be headed by the additional chief secretary (dev). The DCO and a deputy director (land) of the Pakistan Railways would be its members. The committee would prepare a comprehensive action plan for removal of encroachments and put in place a monitoring system to check land-grabbers’ activities for smooth implementation of the project.
It would meet fortnightly to review the progress and examine weekly reports to be received from vigilance team/mobile gang, the committee would notify the latter.
The meeting asked the DG KMTC to select 3-4 slides, including those of the cost incurred on various studies, the light rail proposal and the map of six priority corridors, etc. It also asked the consultant KMTC, S. M. H. Rizvi, to clarify and define the parameters and modify the route plan on the basis of viability and match their findings with an earlier study of the KMTC and examine the need of Karachi in the light of financial constraints.
The meeting was of the view that the number of slides should be kept to the minimum with emphasis on key funding options, including the offer of the federal minister of communications to revive the project with the investment of Rs six billion.
It was of the view that the proposed implementation plan and operating expenses with a clear picture and scope of private-public partnership be clearly highlighted.
The meeting suggested that it be specifically mentioned that the private sector would be interested in the project only when the infrastructure would be provided by the government, and the former would come up with rolling stock only.
It was also proposed that instead of asking for income tax exemption, some other incentive be offered to make the project investment-friendly.
Earlier, the DG KMTC informed the meeting that he recently took charge of the department, and after going through the terms of reference of the project, he came to the conclusion that guidelines for working out short-and medium-term strategy had not been followed. He pointed out that the listing of encroachments along the KCR tracks had not been done. He expressed apprehensions that the desired results might not be achieved due to transfer penalty and fatigue to commuters. He suggested that the system be expanded from Surjani up to the Board Office roundabout in Nazimabad to cater to the needs of potential commuters.
Supporting the observations of the DG KMTC, the DCO Karachi said Baldia Town, Surjani Town, Korangi and other thickly-populated localities would not be served by the proposed KCR loop, so it would fail to meet the transport need of the real target group.
Secretary Transport Raja Mohammed Abbas took serious notice of the difference of opinion over the proposed plan, and suggested that such issues be resolved jointly by the ECIL and the KMTC and they come up with a consensus that their recommendations reflected, with the objective to serving the people and making the project sustainable.
