KARACHI: Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) will be built by China Railway Construction Corporation (CRCC) at a cost of $2.002 billion. This was announced by the Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh, Justice (R) Maqbool Baqir, after a meeting with the President and Vice President of CRCC in Beijing.
According to media reports, the KCR will be a 43-km long elevated railway with 24 stations. It is expected to carry 650,000 passengers per day and will connect the diverse landscape of Karachi, including industrial zones, commercial and residential areas.
The KCR project was included in the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) in 2016. A new feasibility study was prepared in 2023, which updated the cost of the project to $2.002 billion.
The Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh and Vice President of CRCC agreed to resolve the land issues related to the KCR project.
The construction of the KCR is expected to begin in 2024 and will be completed in three years. Once completed, the KCR will be a major boost to Karachi’s transportation system and will help to reduce traffic congestion in the city.
