SC resents delay in completion of city's transport-related projects.

Byline: Ishaq Tanoli

KARACHI -- The Supreme Court on Friday expressed resentment over an inordinate delay in completion of transport-related projects in the city after the provincial authorities claimed that two such projects had almost been completed.

While hearing a set of petitions regarding encroachments and transport issues, a three-judge bench, headed by Chief Justice Gulzar Ahmed, observed that it wanted a practical solution to Karachi's transport issues, but things were getting worse.

The advocate general and the transport secretary of Sindh informed the bench about the Karachi Mass Transit Plan funded by the World Bank and the Asian Development Bank. They said the Green Line and Orange Line projects had almost been completed while work on other such projects was under way.

The chief justice came down hard on the transport secretary when he admitted that these projects had been launched around three years ago, saying these schemes must be completed within one year.

Authorities directed to remove encroachments from railway land without any discrimination

On the issue of revival of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), Attorney General Khalid Jawed Khan said besides revival of the KCR, there were some other projects also for the provincial metropolis under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor and one of the these projects could be chosen for timely completion. The federal law officer said they were ready to brief the judges on this issue in their chambers.

On Feb 21, the apex court had directed the Pakistan Railways to revive the KCR within six months and also warned that in case of non-compliance, action would be taken for not only contempt of court but also for not complying with mandatory commands of the Constitution.

The court observed that transportation of people from one area of the city to another had almost become impossible due to non-availability of road transport and whatever transport was there, it was inhuman and below the dignity of the people.

The Sindh government and Pakistan Railways as well as the federal government appeared not willing to improve the situation, it deplored.

Royal Park building

The bench dismissed a review application against its earlier order to demolish an under-construction building adjacent to an amusement park in Gulshan-i-Iqbal.

The bench observed that no fresh ground had been made out in the application.

Earlier, the apex court had declared the lease of a two-acre plot, located on Rashid Minhas...