KARACHI: Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has said the Ministry of Railways is creating hurdles in the revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and he will not let them ‘encroach’ upon the land which belongs to the people of Karachi.

He said this at the New Sindh Secretariat on Friday while presiding over a preparatory meeting for the CPEC-related Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting which will be held in Islamabad on Nov 20-21, where besides KCR, he will take up Keti Bandar and Dhabeji Special Economic Zone projects.

Mr Shah was told that Railways authorities were reluctant to transfer Karachi Urban Transport Company (KUTC) to the provincial government.

It was also pointed out to him that the authorities were also hesitant to hand over portion of the railway track from the City Station to the Drigh Road Station for the KCR.

“When all obstacles, issues and hindrances have been settled, the Railways Ministry is now creating an unnecessary issue just to delay the project. It is a conspiracy against the people of Karachi. The ministry was never sincere with the KCR,” the chief minister said.

“We worked day in and day out to make KCR part of the CPEC and finally succeeded in our efforts in December last year.

“The people of this city have experienced many ups and downs in the past but I will not deceive them about this important project,” he vowed.

Mr Shah said the KCR project, worth Rs207 billion, had been approved by all competent forums and the provincial government had removed encroachments for it from Gulbai, Machhar Colony and other areas.

The chief minister directed chief secretary Rizwan Memon to talk to Railways authorities and said he himself would speak to Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi to resolve the issue.

Mr Shah directed P&D chairman Mohammad Waseem to complete all papers which need to be signed with Chinese authorities for the KCR at the JCC meeting in Islamabad.

The chief minister also directed Mr Waseem to get the title of the land transferred in the name of Special Economic Zone. On this, the chief secretary said the land was being transferred from the Board of Revenue and the process would be completed by the time of the meeting.

Published in Dawn, November 18th, 2017