KARACHI: Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives, Asad Umar said on Saturday that Prime Minister Imran Khan will perform the groundbreaking of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project on September 30.

In a press conference, Umar, alongside Federal Minister for Maritime Affairs Ali Zaidi, shared progress on the Karachi Transformation Plan announced by Prime Minister Imran Khan for Karachi last year.

Umar said the KCR extends to 43 kilometers. “Over 450,000 passengers will be able to benefit from it on a daily basis,” he said.

The minister said that 55 kilometres long Freight Corridor from Karachi Port to Pipri would be built along with the main track.

On Greenline project, Asad Umar said that the Green Line bus service will become operational in Karachi in November this year while the buses will reach next week.

Federal Minister for Planning Development and Special Initiatives Asad Umar last week had chaired a meeting to review the present status and pace of work on Karachi Circular Railway (KCR).

During the meeting, Asad Umar directed Pakistan Railways to fulfill all formalities at the earliest and ensure that all the necessary arrangements for the groundbreaking of KCR infrastructure were made by September 2021.

The secretary of Pakistan Railways informed the minister that the Karachi Circular Railway project was on track as per the timelines given by the ministry. He told the meeting that the KCR envisages the construction of a 43-km long world-class affordable mass transit system using environment-friendly electric trains.

KCR project

According to Pakistan Railways, the Karachi Circular Railway project will be completed in three phases. The length of the KCR project was 43.13km, including 14.95km on the ground and 28.18km elevated. It would have 24 stations and its per-day ridership would be around 550,000.

The second phase will expand operations to a seven-kilometer track running from Orangi Station to Gilani Station, while the third will see trains running over a nine-kilometer stretch between Gilani Station and Drigh Colony.

The second phase of KCR will cost Rs 8.70 billion, whereas, the third phase would be completed under a public-private partnership.