ECNEC gives go-ahead for revival of Karachi Circular Railway project

Islamabad: Nine development schemes worth Rs310b were given go-ahead on Friday in a meeting of Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC).

Also in this meeting, it was decided to revive the Karachi Circular Railways Project at a cost of Rs207.54b under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), reported a local newspaper.

KCR once operational is expected to serve 515,000 passengers daily and the project includes the establishment of 24 stations and purchase of 162 locomotives.

ECNEC’s meeting was presided over by the Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi. An official said that after KCR was decided to be made a part of CPEC in the 6^th Join Coordination Committee meeting, Pakistani and Chinese authorities had decided to complete the project on a priority basis.

Originally KCR project was being funded and financed by Japanese Development Agency, JICA and it was slated for completion in ten years. But ex-PM Nawaz Sharif decided to shift this project under CPEC and issued special instructions for the project to be completed on a priority basis by 2020.

Financial inclusion and infrastructure project worth Rs14.38b was also approved by ECNEC. And Balochistan Education project also got the go-ahead at a cost of Rs3.57b. This education project is intended to increase enrolment of students.

And a third revision of double railway track from Khanewal to Raiwind was also approved at a cost of Rs14.261b.

A road rehabilitation project in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was also approved at a cost of Rs17.103b. Also, the construction of a four-lane bridge linking Layyah with Taunsa across the Indus river was given the go-ahead at a cost of Rs9.775b.

National Highway Authority (NHA) was issued instructions to prepare a master plan for the construction of future bridges across Pakistan.

Warsak Canal System remodeling in Peshawar and Nowshera district was given go-ahead at a cost of Rs11.137b, which will be shared equally by KP and the federal government.

Prime Minister’s Youth Training Scheme 2015-17 was also approved by ECNEC which would cost Rs26.6b.