Karachi Circular Railway
Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), a defunct inter-regional railway, is an intended revival of an inter-regional public transit network in the city of Karachi with objectives to link multiple industrial and commercial districts within the Karachi to the outlying suburbs. KCR will principally serve the Metropolitan Karachi Area conurbation, with operations expanding to various other communities. Pakistan’s 1stsuch public system, Karachi Circular Railway started regular passenger service in the year of 1969 but was shutdown in the year of 1999 because of gross mismanagement. In the month of August 2012, JICA agreed to a $2.5 billion loan to the city of Karachi Urban Transport Corporation, which will oversee the rebuilding procedure. The policies call for upgrades and rebuilding of the 50 km long intra-city circular line which will operate twenty-four trains serving the 700,000 commuters, making three minute stops at twenty-three stations.

History

Karachi Circular Railway started operation in the year of 1969 through Pakistan Railways with the goals of offering better transportation facilities to the city of Karachi and the nearby suburbs. The original Karachi Circular Railway line expanded from Drigh Road Station and ended at Karachi City Station carrying six million passengers yearly. The Karachi Circular Railway was in immediate success and made a key profit in its 1st year of operation. During the time period of 1970s and 1980s the KCR was at its peak with 104 routine trains, of which eighty trains ran on the primary track while the left over 24 ran on the loop line. During the time period of 1990s, the private transporters of Karachi contracted Karachi Circular Railway staff who became indulged in corruption. By the year of 1994 the Karachi Circular Railway was in incurring huge losses and as an outcome the vast majority of trains were discontinued with just a few running on the Loop. In the year of Karachi Circular Railway operations were discontinued. The outcome was immediate gridlock on Karachi streets. In the year of 2005, revival policies for the railway were started to fulfill the growing transportation requirements of Karachi city. The City District Government Karachi was already making policies for a revival of a combined “Karachi Metro”.

Route

The Karachi Circular Railway will contain a loop line from Karachi City to the area of Drigh Road through Liaquatabad. 29 kilometers will be revived with an extra 21 kilometer dual track from the city of Karachi to Jinnah International Airport, permitting the KCR to link to the Pakistan Railway main line. The KCR is hoped to hold carry on average of 700,000 passengers on 246 trains regularly when completed.
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