By: Adnan Zafar
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Pakistan Railways started the Karachi Circular Railway
in 1964. The aim was to provide better transportation facilities
to the people of Karachi. People of Karachi liked it very much
and thousands of them traveled daily. KCR earned half a million
rupees in the first year alone and revenue continued to increased
daily. The transport mafia did not like it and tried to make KCR
a failure. The infamous transport mafia contracted the KCR staff
and made payments to fail KCR. The staff became lazy and corrupt
and trains did not run on time. Ticket less travel became rampant
as tickets were not checked. At last KCR trains got discontinued
to a minuscule number in 1994 after incurring huge losses. After 1994
only one train ran and in 1999 KCR operations were completely
discontinued. Factors amounting to KCR Failure: 1. Trains did not run according to the Time Table. 2. Tickets were not checked which was the main source of revenue. 3. Bad management and corrupt staff. 4. Stations were far from the roads. 5. No extension of network. 6. Bad condition of locomotives and coaches. 7. No proper arrangement of water and light in Stations. 8. Single Track. 9. Bad law and order situation in Karachi. (Now it is better) 10. Lack of interest by the Government and Pakistan Railways.> Due to transport problems and public pressure, Federal Government decided to revive to KCR. At present, KCR track (Loop line) is in bad condition. Rails and Sleepers have damaged. Signaling and Communication system is also out-dated and out of order. KCR stations and land are encroached upon by land mafia and criminals. Only few trains now run between City station and Malir Cantt. Plans have been in the offing for the revival KCR since 1999 including a Master Plan made in 2003. According to the Master Plan, the track of KCR will be dualized, electrified and separate tracks will be built from City Station to Landhi Jn. The current network will also be extended. Trains will run at speeds in excess of 80 km per hour. |
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Karachi Mass Transit is the plan of modern
rail based transport system in Karachi . According to the Plan
the busy roads of Karachi will have under-ground and over-head
railway corridors and Electro Magnetic or Subway trains shall run.
Government is also considering to build 6 routes on BOT (build-operate-transfer)
basis. Sohrab Goth to Tin-hatti, 15.2 km on Shahrah-e-Pakistan and M.A Jinnah road via F.B Area, Liaquatabad, Guru Mandir, Jamah Cloth and Boulden Market. Corridor II- Orangi Town to Karachi Cantt: Orangi Town to Karachi Cantt, 13.2 km on Shahrah-e-Orangi, Manghopir Road and Dr Daud Pota Road via Garden and Saddar. Corridor III- North Karachi to S.I.T.E via North Nazimabad: North Karachi to S.I.T.E 15.4 km on Shahrah-e-Noor Jehan via North Nazimabad and Benaras Chowk. Corridor IV- Karachi Cantt to Landhi: Karachi Cantt to Landhi, 20.4 km on Shahrah-e-Faisial parallel to Pakistan Railways Main line via Baloch Colony, Shah-Faisal Colony and Malir Colony. Corridor V- Shah Waliullah Chowrangi to Shah-Faisal Colony: Shah Waliullah Chowrangi (Nagan Chowrangi) to Shah-Faisal Colony, 14.5 km on Rashid Minhas road via Sohrab Goth and Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Corridor VI- Baldia Town to Merewether Tower Baldia Town to Merewether Tower, 10 km on RCD Highway. |
| KARACHI the biggest city of Pakistan, is located on
an arm of the Arabian Sea northwest of the Indus delta. It is
a trade and distribution center and the principal seaport of Pakistan.
Karachi was founded in the 18th Century and was captured by the
British in 1843. A steam tramway was opened to the port on April
20, 1885, and was replaced with a horse tramway a year later. In
1909 the horse trams were replaced with distinctive looking petrol
cars. Saddar was the main hub. One route connected Saddar with the
Cantonment Station, the other went all the way to Keamari, the port,
and the third to Soldier Bazaar. There were 64 of these in service
in 1955 when the company celebrated its 70th Anniversary. The petrol
trams continued in service until April 30, 1975. |
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Web Master: Adnan Zafar
E-mail: Adnanrail@gmail.com |