APROPOS two articles ‘Real cost of cars’ by Waqas Younas & Nadeemul Haq (May 16) and ‘Project Karachi’ by Dr Noman Ahmad (May 17). The first article stresses the need for cutting fuel consumption and reducing the number of cars on Karachi’s roads, besides creating more free spaces to allow citizens, especially youth, to indulge in physical activities.

The writer of the second article has made suggestions on how to improve and develop the city’s infrastructure and public utilities like electricity, water, sewerage, traffic, etc. However, both articles left me wondering.

The writers offer so many options to improve the traffic system and reduce road congestion but failed to mention the Karachi Circular Railway. The restoration and development of the defunct circular railway system is the only way to reduce pressure on the city roads. In all mega cities, railways are the only proven solution to reduce traffic congestion.

I would like someone to enlighten me why our politicians and policy makers are dragging their feet on KCR restoration? It seems that all those who matter do not want to exercise the railways option.

This situation is encouraging large scale permanent encroachments on the existing circular railway lines and stations destroying any possibility whatsoever of its restoration in future. Encroachments on the railway line and both sides of the road along a 10-kilometer railway track between Malir Halt and Malir Cantt. passing through Model Colony and Saudabad is testimony to this fact.

Raihan A. K. Lodhi

Karachi

Published in Dawn, May 23rd, 2016