Top court directs to complete ML-1 in two years, KCR in three months

ISLAMABAD: The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed the Ministry of Railways to complete the ML-1 railway track project of Pakistan Railways in two years and the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) project in three months.

A three-member bench headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed was hearing the case of financial losses in Pakistan Railways. The top judge warned of strict action if deadlines for the projects were not met.

Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed relayed that 85 percent of KCR track had been cleared of encroachments and work was being done to revive the project.

Also Read: Planning Minister Asad Umar directs for expediting work on KCR project

Gulzar Ahmed asked the federal government to itself work on the KCR rather than handing it over to the provincial government lest it did not end up like the Karachi transport system.

Addressing media outside the Supreme Court in Islamabad on Wednesday, Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar said that the ML-1 project of Pakistan Railways would be presented before the next meeting of Joint Cooperation Committee (JCC) of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor CPEC to be held in April.   

The minister said the process of the project’s approval from Central Development Working Party and the ECNEC would be completed in time.   

Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Railways Sheikh Rasheed said ML-1 was an important project to uplift Pakistan Railways. He said the project would provide immense job opportunities to our youth.    

Regarding Karachi Circular Railway, the minister said both the federal and provincial government were on the same page on this project. He said we have also submitted a business plan of Pakistan Railways before the Supreme Court.