by KASWAR KLASRA

 

ISLAMABAD, April.8 (Gwadar Pro) – Chinese authorities won millions of hearts in Pakistan after they assured the provincial government of Sindh province of including Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), Keti Bandar, and other projects in the list of CPEC-related projects.

 

"Chinese government authorities have assured the Sindh government that they would pursue the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), Keti Bandar and other projects to officially include them in the list of CPEC-related projects," local media report quoted Sindh province's Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah as saying on Tuesday in his meeting with a high-powered Chinese government delegation led by Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Nong Rong.

 

According to reports, a high-powered Chinese delegation led by the Chinese Ambassador in Pakistan Nong Rong assured Sindh province's Chief Minister that they will include Karachi Circular Railway, Keti Bandar, and other projects in CPEC.

 

This correspondent got to know that the chief minister informed the Chinese delegation that on a request of Sindh province's government, KCR was included in CPEC on December 3, 2016. The project was approved and included on the agenda of the 6th meeting of the Joint Coordination Committee (JCC), he said, adding that the project was approved by Ecnec at $1.97 billion in October 2017.

 

The Chief Minister further said that KCR had been part of all JCC’s sessions as in all these meetings it was termed a feasible and viable project, but there were major obstacles to be removed.

 

“These obstacles included a sovereign guarantee by the Finance Division, a concessional finance request to the Chinese government by the federal government, right of way for KCR at the common corridor between ML-1 and KCR,” Chief Minister of Sindh province told Chinese delegation.

 

Chinese delegation assured the chief minister that they would take up the KCR projects in the next CPEC-related meeting.

 

Officials told this correspondent that the federal government had included two projects in the PSDP-2020-21 including the organization of train service on the existing KCR alignment worth 1.85 billion Pak rupees and the revival of KCR Phase-II for worth Pkr. 8.7 billion.

 

" We had included three projects in the provincial ADP 2020-21. They are the revival of KCR (CPEC framework) for Rs207.5 billion, construction of the boundary fencing along the KCR alignment for Rs2.3 billion, and the construction of underpasses/flyovers on railway crossings along the KCR route for Rs5 billion, and the FWO has been engaged to do the construction work in this regard, reports quoted Chief Minister as saying.

 

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah told visiting Chinese delegation that Keti Bandar has located about 107km from the Thatta city and 150km from Karachi via Gharo, which was very promising.

 

"Keti Bandar project is an important part of the Sindh government strategy towards developing the energy sector. 4,000 acres of land had been identified for the project and a feasibility study had been completed for the installation of a 1,320MW power plant along with a railway line, a coal jetty, and allied infrastructure," the Chief Minister told the Chinese delegation, adding that the financial viability assessment and bid management report had also been completed and the transaction advice report was being awaited.

 

“The project had been a part of CPEC framework since 2017. Earlier, the project was referred to the Joint Working Group for consideration. After the completion of the studies, the project is now ready to be taken up in the main framework,” local media reports quoted Chief Minister as saying.

 

Officials told this correspondent that projects including Thar coal energy, infrastructure, Special Economic Zone, Dhabeji, KCR, and socio-economic development projects came under discussion during the meeting held between the Chief Minister of Sindh province and the Chinese delegation.

 

The Chinese delegation said their first CPEC project of 660MW Thar Coal power plants was functioning successfully, and on this pattern, all CPEC-related projects would be completed on a fast-track basis.