Karachi Circular Railways project gets a good news
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ISLAMABAD – The Supreme Court ordered the authorities concerned to restore the Karachi Circular Railway within a month.
During the hearing of a case pertaining to encroachments in the southern metropolis on Thursday, the apex court expressed displeasure over non-implementation of its previous orders.
Justice Gulzar Ahmed, who headed a bench of the court at its Karachi registry, directed the Secretary Railways to demolish encroachments from the railway lands within a period of two weeks.
The SC judge inquired whether the official was oblivious of the verdict passed by the court, castigating the Secretary Railways and other officials over their failure to implement the court orders.
The secretary informed the bench that the department has cleared 10 acres of land, which he assured will be transferred to the Sindh government.
The bench also directed the chief secretary Sindh to launch an anti-encroachment operation with the help of the Karachi mayor and other relevant officials to clear the railway lands of encroachments.
The judge remarked that if railway authorities face resistance during the anti-encroachment drive, they should enlist the help of the army and Rangers.;the hearing was adjourned for an indefinite period.
Last year, the Supreme Court had directed the authorities to immediately revive the Karachi Circular Railway.
In February this year, the Sindh Assembly was informed that Pakistan Railways was not cooperating with the provincial government to give the right of way for the construction and revival of the Karachi Circular Railway.
Minister for Transport and Mass Transit Syed Awais Qadir Shah said that the land could not be made available to the Karachi Urban Transport Corporation to reconstruct the KCR as the Pakistan Railways is neither ready to disturb its main railway line nor its trunk lines in the city.
