KARACHI, Aug 11: Progress on the feasibility study of the Karachi Mass Transit Project was reviewed at a meeting held here on Wednesday.

City Nazim Naimatullah Khan presided over the meeting which was attended by representatives of a Chinese firm, China National Machinery and Equipment Group (CNMEG), besides Technical Advisor to the City Nazim Saleem Azhar, MD of Pemcom N. H. Jaffari, DCO Mir Hussain Ali, Director General of the KMTC Malik Zaheerul Islam, and other officials.

The Chinese team was headed by and included the firm's chief coordinator Tin Guangming. They told the meeting that the feasibility study covering the corridor-1 of the KMTP was in final stage.

They informed the Nazim that top Chinese experts had been invited at a symposium, held on July 29 this year, to discuss the CDGK's proposal of the KMT Corridor-1. After discussing the relevant feasibility study, the experts had approved the study, they added.

The project has already been recommended by the ministries of commerce and finance, Chamber of Commerce & Industry, Exim Bank, SINOSURE and China International Engineering Consulting Company, and referred to the state council for premier's final approval.

Mr Huang Yuming said that they were working on an alternative option which had been discussed with Chinese minister for finance and commerce to seek funding in the project.

The city nazim briefed the delegation about the meeting held in Islamabad to discuss the project. He said that the terms and conditions for preliminary implementation agreement, signed between the CNMEG and CDGK on May 13 this year had been reviewed during the meeting.

Mr Khan said that President Musharraf, Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad and Sindh Minister for Finance Syed Sardar Ahmed were also taking interest in the project. He said that after completion, the KMT would provide great relief to the commuters and help resolve traffic problems being faced by people in Karachi.

The delegation informed the meeting that the proposal, as per the agreement, had been approved and measures were being taken to start work on the project soon to introduce light rail transit system in the city.

Malik Zaheerul Islam said that the US$568 million project would envisage the construction of the corridor for overhead mass transit facility from Sohrab Goth to Tower via Teen Hatti.

The corridor, he added, would be constructed in two phases and the work would be completed within four-and-a-half years. The second corridor, according to the plan, would be constructed from Orangi to Cantonment Station. It is for the first time in the country the an underground mass transit system is being introduced. -APP/PPI