KARACHI, Oct 17: A full-fledged campaign will be launched in the city after Ramazan to remove encroachments along the circular railway tracks.
This was stated by Sindh labour and transport minister Adil Siddiqui while talking to a group of journalists after an Iftar reception hosted by Nauman Sehgal, IT Adviser to the chief minister, at a local hotel on Tuesday.
He said the biggest hurdle in the circular railway was construction of underpasses and overhead bridges, which was most costly and time consuming aspect and the city government was seized with the situation and by January 2007 many of the underpasses and flyover bridges would be completed.
Another problem, he said, was construction of flats along the old circular railway tracks and encroachment on the track and the government was considering removing encroachments and laying a new track.
In reply to a question, he said that the mass transit and circular railway was the only solution to traffic problem in the city and the government was working on both the projects which had entered final stages and soon Karachites would listen a good news in this respect.
When asked about the possibility of plying tramway service in Karachi, particularly on II Chundrigar Road, he said in Karachi operation of tramway service was not feasible due to traffic problem. However, as far as operating tramway on the II Chudrigar section was concerned, the city nazim would be in a position to decide about it.
Referring to steps being taken to improve the acute problem in the metropolis and the province, he said that the president and the prime minister were keen to solve transport problem of the megacity with a population of 14 million and in this connection two to three meetings had been held so far.
He said that the government had offered to the private bus transporters to come forward to avail of the ADB facility as according to the rules, the interest on the loans would be paid by the government while cost of the CNG buses would have to be borne by transporters.
About disappearance of the UTS bus service from the road, the minister said that its stake holders had failed to pay back the loan instalments. He said the government was keen to bring 5000 CNG buses on the roads in Karachi during next five years .
He pointed out that the Asian Development Bank had offered Rs800 million for plying CNG buses in the city to solve acute transport problem.
Regarding fatal traffic accidents due to negligence of traffic rules and rash driving which had been resulting in loss of precious lives daily on the roads, he said he had written a letter to the advocate general for setting up five special courts for trial of drivers under 302 .
He said that the has requested the Supreme Court to take suo moto notice of smoke emitting buses to improve environment and transport facility in the city.
