KARACHI, Sept 13: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan on Tuesday asked the authorities to expedite progress on the revival of the Karachi Circular Rrailway. He also issued directives for the removal of encroachments around the railway tracks, their rehabilitation and establishment of Karachi Urban Transport Company.

He was presiding over a meeting in the Governor’s House, attended by State Minister for Railway Ishaq Khakwani, Sindh Planning and Development Minister Shoaib Bukhari, the adviser on Local Government, the Sindh chief secretary and senior officials.

The meeting decided that it would seek a bridge financing of Rs250 million from the federal government for adding 20 kilometres to the existing line, extending it to the Geelani railway station in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

The governor asked the authorities concerned to speed up the establishment of Karachi Urban Transport Company.

The meeting was told that the Pakistan Railways, the Sindh government and the CDGK would be stakeholders in the company, headed by Ejaz Ali Khilji of the railways.

This company, with a paid-up capital of Rs10 billion, will work on the complete restoration of the circular railway in the city on modern lines.

This will be an integrated circular railway system with the support of a shuttle bus service where needed.

The governor was informed that the revival of the KCR would be carried out in two phases, of which the phase I had been completed providing services to commuters from the Karachi City railway station to the Landhi station.

The number of passengers has increased to 3,500 per day on this track which has been extended to the Wazir Mansion railway station.

Upon his inquiry about the rehabilitation work on the Khokrapar- Munabao railway line, the governor was told that it was progressing fast and would be completed by December.

CHK project: The Sindh Governor, Dr Ishratul Ibad, taking serious notice of frequent water shortage instances at the Civil Hospital Karachi (CHK) has approved a Rs4 million project, which would ensure round–the-clock availability of water to the hospital.

The CHK Medical Superintendent, Dr Kaleem Butt, talking to APP on Tuesday said work on the water line project was scheduled to be completed in the next two months.

To a query, he said the 1,680-bed tertiary care centre attending to thousands of patients daily at its 38 various departments had been facing water shortage since long; however, makeshifts arrangement were made to address the situation.

Under the approved project, all wards particularly those identified to be the worst hit, including the gynaecology ward, would be provided with new water supply lines as the previous ones had eroded and needed replacement.

He also referred to the pathetic status of the ambulances fleet at the hospital, mentioning that only two of the four vehicles available at the CHK were actually functional and that the hospital needed two more vehicles.—APP