KARACHI, April 4: President General Pervez Musharraf will soon be given a presentation on the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway which is estimated to cost Rs12 billion.

The final revitalization plan for the KCR was approved after a presentation held for the provincial transport minister, Dewan Mohammed Yousuf Farooqui, here on Thursday.

The final report has been prepared by Engineering Consultants International.

Mr Farooqui pointed out that some 1,500 vehicles came from the Steel Mill side to the city and with the introduction of the KCR this traffic volume would subside considerably. Besides this would also bring down the number of accidents and reduce pollution.

According to the report, the project objectives include revitalization of the KCR and its integration with the bus system, maximization of indigenous resource utilization in manufacture of locomotives and carriages, comfortable/affordable service to public, viable, cost-effective and safe operation and expansion of urban rail system.

At present, the KCR system has 30km of track and 28km of Pakistan Railways main line besides 14 stations on the KCR and 10 on mainline. Only two trains are currently operating on the KCR on main line section.

The report says that the present alignment is inadequate and there is a need for improved accessibility to stations with essential KCR-bus integration.

It calls for integrated urban rail transportation master plan to serve 18 towns.

Under the plan, the KCR traffic junctions will be located at Gulistan-i-Jauhar, University Road, Shahrah-i-Pakistan, Nawab Siddiq Ali Khan Road and Hub River Road.

In the first stage, the implementation plan will include dualization of the KCR track with the infrastructure, start of service between Drigh Colony and Karachi City via Nazimabad and Wazir Mansion, added service on dedicated new double line parallel to mainline from Karachi Cantt to Malir Halt and establish bus shuttle linkages.

The second stage will involve creating rail linkages to Karachi airport, Nazimabad, Orangi, New Karachi and Surjani Town, Baluch Colony, Landi and Korangi and other planned destinations.

In the third stage, there will be other master plan requirements for better coverage of Korangi to Keamari, Landhi to Steel Mill and Orangi to Shah Latif Station.

The meeting was attended by City Nazim Naimatullah Khan, District Coordination Officer Shafiqur Rehman Paracha, Transport Secretary Raja Mohammad Nawaz, Provincial Committee on Investment Convener Aseem Hashmi and other senior officials of the Sindh Government.—APP