KARACHI, Aug 12: The Karachi Mass Transit Programme (KMTP), corridor-1 project, came under discussion at a meeting held under the chairmanship of Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad here on Thursday.

Speaking on the occasion, the governor called for expediting the process of implementation of the project so that people could get better commuting facilities as early as possible.

The meeting was informed that feasibility report of the project was in the final stage whereas the Chinese ministries of finance and commerce had already accorded necessary approval.

Dr Ibad said that the federal government would be approached for the release of 10 per cent of the project funds. He hoped that prime minister of China, who would be visiting Pakistan towards the end of this year, would lay the foundation stone of the project.

The KMTP Corridor-1 project site stretches across the area between Sohrab Goth and Tower and includes an elevated level from Sohrab Goth to Teen Hatti and an underground level from Teen Hatti to Tower on the pattern of the tube system in London.

The airconditioned light train project would be completed in four-and-a-half years at a cost of US$568 million. The underground stations, too, would be airconditioned. During peak hours, the train would run every two minutes and during normal hours, at an interval of seven minutes.

According to an estimate, some one million passengers would travel in the train every day and the number would gradually increase to 1.3 million. Governor Ibad stressed that the light train's fare should be kept at a level affordable to common man.

He also called for ensuring provision of all possible basic facilities to people under the project. He said there should be proper linking of stops and stations with other modes of transport. -APP