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ISLAMABAD: China will now cooperate with the Sindh government to help it revive the long-delayed Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) within three years under a recently signed memorandum of understanding, the Senate’s Standing Committee on Planning and Development was informed on Monday.
Briefing the committee, Planning Secretary Shoaib Siddiqui said the Rs270 billion project was to be completed with the assistance of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), but due to its long schedule the government decided to include the project in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
He said around 550,000 commuters were expected to travel through the KCR daily. The 43-kilometre-long railway line will go through Landhi, Wazir Mansion, Gulshan-i-Iqbal, COD, Gulistan-i-Jauhar, Orangi Town and Chanesar Goth. The route will have 24 stations.
The Sindh government and JICA started looking into the possibility of collaborating to revive the KCR about seven years ago, but the project is still in limbo.
The chairman of the Senate committee, Tahir Mashhadi, welcomed the decision and said Karachi was the fourth-largest city of the world, but a major segment of the population was deprived of effective and affordable transport facility.
The committee was also briefed that the process to award contract for transmission lines has been initiated under the CASA-1000 power project. Under the project, 1,000 megawatts of hydroelectric power generated by Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan will be transported to Pakistan via Afghanistan.
However, the members expressed concern over the transit lines going through Afghanistan. “How can anybody be sure when peace will return to Afghanistan?” Senator Sherry Rehman wondered. “The future of this project is directly linked with law and order situation there.”
Senator Saifullah Magsi feared power supply to Pakistan would suffer in case terrorists strike transmission lines in Afghanistan.
An official of the Sindh government informed the committee that a power park would be set up at Keti Bandar with the support of the Chinese government.
Published in Dawn, August 1st, 2017
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Comments (63) Closed
Aug 01, 2017 10:08am
Good for Karachi. Should be completed in 2 years/
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Aug 01, 2017 11:14am
bad move
japanes tech would be better and the intrest rate would be less then chinese
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Aug 01, 2017 11:19am
It is proposed here that the KCR station should linked near the Main Road so that passenger can easy move from KCR to BRTS for reaching their place. Existing station is not feasible some where, please think for successful communication project.
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Aug 01, 2017 11:22am
Surprise surprise!
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Aug 01, 2017 11:24am
We have already tested China made railway products and wondering why are we choosing them..................
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Aug 01, 2017 11:32am
Gen Musharraf did lot of good work for Karachi but unfortunately his team destroyed the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and hence allowed land grabbers to grab the precious land of Railways it will be gigantic job for any Government to get the tracks and Stations of KCR cleared of illegal constructions anyhow my good wishes for CM Sindh if he can achieve this goal his name will be written in the history
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Aug 01, 2017 11:36am
for a very long time going with japan again a long way with china . i think by that way this project will be delayed more and more , very good policy . a govt which cant remove garbage/sewage water in ten years how can it restart a train project in less then 100 yrs.
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Aug 01, 2017 11:37am
Not surprised...
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Aug 01, 2017 11:41am
There's one thing of putting all eggs in one basket. Putting the whole poultry is quite another.
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Aug 01, 2017 11:45am
If option between Japan and China always go for Japan even if the cost is bit higher.
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Aug 01, 2017 11:58am
All eggs in one basket...bad idea..
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Aug 01, 2017 12:06pm
We are putting all the eggs in one basket.... Has any one thought about it ??
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Aug 01, 2017 12:16pm
Sindh Government and KCR, and 3 years. Huh!!!
See you all on this link / page after 3 years (if we remain alive) with the same status, and multiple new stories on this topic elsewhere.
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Aug 01, 2017 12:19pm
Putting all the eggs in the same basket is not good for economy
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Aug 01, 2017 12:22pm
This is called strike you own feet for no reason. Bad decision as usual.
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Aug 01, 2017 12:26pm
Oh wow. Japan out and China in, that's such a surprise !!
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Aug 01, 2017 12:27pm
I wish they are sincere in completing this project.
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Aug 01, 2017 12:34pm
It is a great news.Well done Pak-China friendship. Japan was asking more time to complete this huge project. therefore, it is out of question to wait for so long. We should not care about negative narratives. Pak-China co-operation is always at its best. Sindh government should ask China to make hi tech train and Pakistan should follow its maintenance.
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Aug 01, 2017 12:41pm
Our mega rich politians invest all their money in London and Dubai, Whynot in Pakistan?
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Aug 01, 2017 12:44pm
@MG : Do we have other any option except China..no way....Japan offered railway loan to India at 0.5% interest and proven hitech systems...
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Aug 01, 2017 12:48pm
Who on this Earth would replace Japanese Technology for the Chinese......????
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Aug 01, 2017 01:03pm
As always Indian going on a rant against China-Pakistan relation. China has surpassed Japan in economic wealth soon China will become superior in Technology world as well. Already China is the 3rd Largest Cell phone maker in the world.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:05pm
Japanese transit system should be better than the Chinese one.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:07pm
No surprise at the PPP govt. opting to work with Chinese. The Chinese are known for their openness to corrupt pratices of giving kickbacks and low standard work. Japanese would not have indulged in this.
It might at some stage be built indeed, not happening in 3 years surely, but maybe 6-7 years. Watch out for the poor quality when it becomes functional and you would know the reason of this change then.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:09pm
Chinese technology well, good for China.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:13pm
The question needs to be asked is why Japan got off the list ? Perhaps they disagreed to work with the highly corrupt Sindh Govt.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:15pm
Another mega corruption scandal on its way involving Corruption Mafia PPP
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Aug 01, 2017 01:18pm
I have my concerns,1) It should be completed in 1-2 years that main tracks are there but need little rectification work
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Aug 01, 2017 01:22pm
It has to support Landhi Industrial area employees who are travelling to SITE area the timing should maintain to run it properly 6 am onwards to 9 am and 5 pm to 8 pm regularly
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Aug 01, 2017 01:31pm
After 3 years North Korea, then after 3 years South Korea, then Russia, US and on and on and on.
Sindh government is so incompetent that I cannot believe it until its done
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Aug 01, 2017 01:34pm
Putting all eggs in one basket.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:39pm
Corruption is ready to eat this project as well.
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Aug 01, 2017 01:48pm
This needs closer scrutiny. Japanese are some of the biggest international donors. Chinese on the other hand are clearly into business. The tech is also an issue as Japanese may be more updated. What is the actual difference in time duration of completion between the two?
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Aug 01, 2017 01:48pm
Putting all your eggs in one basket. Goodluck
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Aug 01, 2017 01:56pm
Why doesn't PML-N focus on giving karachi mass transit before they think about lahore or islamabad or multan
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Aug 01, 2017 01:59pm
Getting Japanese out of the project is very very bad idea.
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Aug 01, 2017 02:04pm
First time ever has someone rejected Japanese technology in favour of Chinese! The world is laughing.
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Aug 01, 2017 02:18pm
The local transport mafia will never make this possible. Moreover the amount of encroachment near the railway tracks is unimaginable.
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Aug 01, 2017 02:28pm
Power lines through Afghanistan is such a bad idea. Who are the fool who agreed to this concept. We do not have friendly relations with Afghanistan , no guarantee can be trusted from factions hostile to Pakistan
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Aug 01, 2017 02:50pm
I have been listing about the KCR for a long time that but I know that it will not be happening ever it's just a fairy tail for the people of KHI
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Aug 01, 2017 02:51pm
Not surprising at all!
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Aug 01, 2017 02:59pm
A modern and decent circular train system i.e. mass transit was started in 1960 by Ayub regime, which was dismantle and scraped by Z A Bhutto democratic time in 1973-74. I hope at this time Sindh govt will little cooperate. Japanese expert came to Karachi and completed their survey 7 years before but PPP govt did not give any attention and finally Japanese walk away.
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Aug 01, 2017 03:06pm
Japan on the list was just for formality.
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Aug 01, 2017 03:17pm
@citizen not 0.5% but 0.1% over 30 year period.
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Aug 01, 2017 03:31pm
Hahaha. Since when you have started believing in politicians. Transport mafia has destroyed KCR and will never allow it through bribe.
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Aug 01, 2017 03:57pm
Every year this issue is raised and every year it is forgotten. Been seeing this for past 30 plus years. I have no hope at all.
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Aug 01, 2017 04:25pm
After Japan it's now China, earlier Canada was to build mass transit for karachiites almost two decades ago. In reality the Britishers left very advanced mode of transportation for karachiites as compared to what now we have ride on. I think foreign private Uber and careem are only hope for the city that can be appreciated
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Aug 01, 2017 04:35pm
Strategically a shortsighted decision
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Aug 01, 2017 04:49pm
All eggs in one basket is always dangerous
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Aug 01, 2017 10:09pm
Good news for Karachi
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Aug 02, 2017 04:59am
adopting use and throw is good for our leaders. They can plan for another $5B project to replace this one in within 10 years.
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Aug 02, 2017 11:59am
Japan's technology is far better than Chinese.
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Aug 02, 2017 03:35pm
Great Initiative , hope this project will not remain in documents only.
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Aug 02, 2017 04:44pm
and it won't last more than it's warranty.
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Aug 02, 2017 08:00pm
Interesting to see a advanced developing country unable to start a commuter train service in its largest city, which happens to be the Worlds top 10 cities in terms of population. To lay train tracks on existing ones train, why successive administrations have to seek foreign assistance technically and financially. If there is will there will always be ways why not self help?
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Aug 02, 2017 10:44pm
Chinese technology is lacking in quality and standards!
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Aug 03, 2017 02:25am
Japan has taken too long, I think it's influenced by powers who do not want to see Pakistan rise. Bye bye Japan, welcome China.
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Aug 03, 2017 02:32am
@AK there is only 1 basket available and it's quite reliable. The other baskets you are talking about are not yet ready, and have delayed the project- and one would say deliberately, and notoriously under influence.
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Aug 03, 2017 03:23am
When I read 'Japan', I got worried and then I heard China and felt everything is normal.
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Aug 03, 2017 07:18am
@Sane sid , A true friend will certainly do.
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Aug 03, 2017 07:20am
Whether eggs are in one basket or different basket, end result for eggs will be always same.
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Aug 03, 2017 08:15am
The project will be meaningful if the train speed is more than sixty miles per hour for which there should be bridges at crossing with roads. The work on roads must start immediately as these bridges will face difficulties in acquiring land and properties.With every major project there should be reseach cell to learn for future projects and train local engineers and administrators.
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Aug 04, 2017 02:10am
Kcr was the propriety of Pakistan Railways, but in this scheme ,where PR stand ?
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