KARACHI, Jan 18: The revival of Karachi Circular Railway, under which local trains were scheduled to commence operation on Jan 15, has been further delayed as coaches are still being refurbished and modified.

Sources in the Pakistan Railways and the Sindh transport department said the project could not take off on Saturday and it would take more time to finally hand over the refurbished rakes to the KCR.

"Although tracks on the main line are ready for use, coaches are not available right now," said a source. The Sindh transport minister had given Jan 15 as the cut off date for the revival of the KCR.

The KCR operation, the sources said, may be delayed by one more month as 30 coaches are being refurbished in Lahore while tracks on Karachi Circular Railway route were being upgraded.

Sources said that the provincial government had decided to operate local train service from Drigh Colony to City Station on main line, and KCR infrastructure may not be utilized at present.

They said the Sindh transport minister, provincial transport officials, and officials of the city transport department held successive meetings of the task force, formed by the Prime Minister, Shaukat Aziz.

The prime minister directed the task force to prepare an action plan to revive the KCR service as soon as possible. The Sindh government in a meeting of the task force, chaired by state minister for railways Ishaque Khakwani, on Nov 19, had submitted an action plan, apprising the meeting that the KCR would be revived by Jan 15 at an estimated cost of Rs6 billion.

Apart from Mr Khakwani and Sindh minister for transport Adil Siddiqui and EDO Transport members of the task force formed by the Prime Minister discussed modalities for the revival of KCR. Official sources said the revitalization of the Karachi Circular Railway needs funds as the entire network of the KCR requires improvement.