Karachi is Pakistan’s engine of growth Says Imran Khan

By Muhammad JuniadPublished On 04 Jan 2023

"Every country across the world has one city that leads its prosperity and growth. For Pakistan, it's Karachi," Prime Minister Imran Khan remarked.

The premier reached the city on Monday to lay the foundation of the Karachi Circular Railway. "In the 1980s, when Karachi started taking off, chaos ensued in the city and the problems faced by it affected the entire country."

When the Centre, along with the Sindh government, formed the Karachi Transformation Plan in September last year, we decided to counter the infrastructural issues in the city. And that requires fixing the transport system, the PM pointed out.

The Karachi Circular Railway

KCR’s complete track will start from Drigh Road station, going through Gulistan-e-Jauhar and heading to Gulshan-e-Iqbal. From there it will turn towards Nazimabad going through Yaseenabad and Liaqatabad. The track then heads to Manghopir and SITE before going taking a turn towards Baldia and going through Lyari, Mereweather Tower, City Station and onward to PIDC and Karachi Cantt.

The KCR would then run parallel to Sharae Faisal and go through Chanesar Goth, Shaheed-e-Millat, and Karsaz before completing a round trip at the Drigh Road station.

In the first phase, the infrastructure will be fixed and then the project will formally kick off in the second phase. The government will be spending Rs250 billion on the project, which is expected to be completed by 2023.

One train will accommodate approximately 800 passengers. Twenty-five trains will be run initially.