KARACHI (April 30 2010): While the government is yet to finalise the process of resettlement of the affected people of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Project worth $1.58 billion, the number of encroachment along the KCR track is increasing which is likely to hamper the already delayed project.
The increasing number of encroachers on the government land is likely to cause another delay for the billions of rupees worth project, as there is no check on land grabbers, sources told Business Recorder.
They said, though the dispute between Pakistan Railways (PR) and Malir Development Authority (MDA) has amicably been resolved out side the court, for the rehabilitation of affected people of KCR Project at Juma Goth, the slow paced development work of the resettlement was providing a fascinating opportunity for land grabbers to encroach more public land.
Around 350 acre land belonging to PR, has been planned by Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) - the proponent of KCR project at Juma Goth adjacent to Shah Latif Township on National Highway, to shift the land grabbers who had encroached government land along KCR track, they added. They said government would spend at least Rs 4.45 billion on the infrastructure development at the location as per Rs 12.5 million per acre with cash compensation.
KUTC, which has completed different studies of the project, was needed to complete the rehabilitation process soon, as, beside the chances of more encroachments on the land of KCR, the cost of project that has already been revised, was likely to increase further if it was delayed, they added.
They said that soon after the approval of project from Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), further encroachment had started on the land along KCR's route; hence giving the land grabbers a green signal for having alternate lands from the government.
According to a survey conducted by Urban Resource Centre in 2005, commercial plazas, multi-storied residential apartments, bungalows, institutional buildings, shopping centers, factories, warehouses and petrol pumps occupy 72 per cent of the area on either side of KCR tracks. The remaining 28 per cent of the area on either side of KCR tracks is occupied by low-income settlements and Katchi Abadis.
The increasing number of encroachers on the government land is likely to cause another delay for the billions of rupees worth project, as there is no check on land grabbers, sources told Business Recorder.
They said, though the dispute between Pakistan Railways (PR) and Malir Development Authority (MDA) has amicably been resolved out side the court, for the rehabilitation of affected people of KCR Project at Juma Goth, the slow paced development work of the resettlement was providing a fascinating opportunity for land grabbers to encroach more public land.
Around 350 acre land belonging to PR, has been planned by Karachi Urban Transport Corporation (KUTC) - the proponent of KCR project at Juma Goth adjacent to Shah Latif Township on National Highway, to shift the land grabbers who had encroached government land along KCR track, they added. They said government would spend at least Rs 4.45 billion on the infrastructure development at the location as per Rs 12.5 million per acre with cash compensation.
KUTC, which has completed different studies of the project, was needed to complete the rehabilitation process soon, as, beside the chances of more encroachments on the land of KCR, the cost of project that has already been revised, was likely to increase further if it was delayed, they added.
They said that soon after the approval of project from Executive Committee of National Economic Council (ECNEC), further encroachment had started on the land along KCR's route; hence giving the land grabbers a green signal for having alternate lands from the government.
According to a survey conducted by Urban Resource Centre in 2005, commercial plazas, multi-storied residential apartments, bungalows, institutional buildings, shopping centers, factories, warehouses and petrol pumps occupy 72 per cent of the area on either side of KCR tracks. The remaining 28 per cent of the area on either side of KCR tracks is occupied by low-income settlements and Katchi Abadis.
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