| Karachi Circular Railway | |
|---|---|
| Info | |
| Locale | Karachi, Pakistan |
| Transit type | Rapid transit |
| Number of lines | Loop |
| Number of stations | 23 |
| Daily ridership | 700,000 per day |
| Operation | |
| Operator(s) | Karachi Urban Transport Corporation |
| Technical | |
| Track gauge | 1,435 mm (4 ft 8 1⁄2 in) |
Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) is a revival and proposed Mass Rapid Transit System for Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan with aims to connect several industrial and commercial districts within the city and outlying suburbs. The system will consist of a loop line, encircling the entire city of Karachi and is expected to carry around 700,00 passengers a day when completed.[1] Due to a lack of money, current plans are to revive this transit plan somewhere around 2050.
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The Karachi Circular Railway began operation in 1969 through Pakistan Railways with the aim of providing better transportation facilities to Karachi and the surrounding suburbs. The original KCR line extended from Drigh Road Station and ended at Karachi City Station carrying 6 million passengers annually.[2] The KCR was in instant success and made a significant profit in its first year of operation.[3] During the 1970s and 1980s the KCR was at its peak with 104 daily trains, of which 90 trains on ran on the main track while the remaining 14 ran on the loop line. During the 1990s, the "transport mafia" contracted KCR staff who became indulged in corruption. By 1994 the KCR was in incurring major losses and as a result the vast majority of trains were discontinued with only a few running on the Loop. In 1999 KCR operations were discontinued. The result was instant gridlock on Karachi streets. In 2005, revival plans for the railway were initiated to fulfil the growing transportation needs of Karachi. The City District Government Karachi was already making plans for a revival and construction of a combined "Karachi Metro".[4]
No construction is currently taking place on this railway. There are speculations that Pakistan does not have enough money sustain existing railways, let alone build new ones. Pakistan has requested aid for Karachi metro from the USA and China but was refused. Current plans are to revive this transit plan somewhere around 2050.
The project has been criticised by many as, unlike Lahore, the project is not to be an underground metro and has not been placed on the same priority as the Lahore Metro.
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