Without KCR / Metro system, Karachi’s over 20 million population looked for some solution to their transport woes for a long time, but to no avail. But luckily, Karachi Circular Railway and GreenLine Buses Project finally resulted in Sindh-Islamabad “agreement” only for joint working.
Resultantly, Prime Minister Imran Khan graciously blessed the “Metropolitan city without a Metro” to again “formally inaugurate” a wickedly neglected and forgotten KCR project.
Likewise, the GreenLine buses project ran in October, with 80 buses reportedly “being brought”.
Karachiites already saw the ill fate of previous projects and many bus lines were hit in “accidents” by the transport mafia and sent rest in garages, with KCR blockade. Ascertaining that must not happen ever again is binding on all and sundry. On the one hand, the federal government appears intent on bringing the KCR dormant project to life by mid-2023, as indicated by reports of the meetings chaired by Federal Planning Minister Asad Umar. Still, the Sindh government appears to be allegedly delaying matters on account of bureaucratic hurdles.
The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has to begin construction on the KCR route in two phases, for which the Sindh government must pay the agency Rs6bn as its share. Regrettably, no contract or work order seems to have materialised so far in this regard, local media remarked.
Health, education, housing and transport are among citizens’ fundamental rights that most governments in the world provide, but not our governments, as we still lack them, and must ascertain people’s welfare. Right away, governments should present their viable design and upgrading of an active national transport policy actively and ensure its proper implementation.
If governments cannot do it, they should partner with the private sector and strictly monitor it, with fines against violations, or ensure the private sector provides safe, economical and respectable transport services.
The KMC – deprived of many of its rightful powers – seems to loiter in everlasting slumber without funds or authority – even for simple garbage disposable – and was therefore paralysed without doing much to provide civic amenities to people.
We urge both the centre and the Sindh government should do their utmost to make the KCR dream a reality. Only then will we see a visible improvement in the lives of those millions of commuters who reside in this sprawling city.