Karachi Circular Railway to reopen with Chinese help
Twenty years after the closure of Karachi Circular Railway, Pakistani authorities are trying to reopen the line. Beijing is pumping some 1.7 billion euros into the project as part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor.
Halted connectivity
Before coming to a standstill in 1999, Karachi Circular Railway's public transport system connected the southern port city’s suburban areas to its industrial and economic zones. Karachi is Pakistan's most populous city with an estimated 20 million people living there. Yet the city has no proper public transport system.
Chaos and pollution
Once the project is completed, it will help relieve the city's chaotic traffic and reduce massive air pollution.
Settlements on railway
A large part of the 43-kilometer-long circular railway still exists. However, people have built settlements around and even on the track.
Demolish and build
According to official estimates, around 5,000 houses and more than 7,000 other structures along the former railway line need to be demolished to revive Karachi Circular Railway. The project is expected to start this year despite many obstacles.
Residents resist project
In April, violent protests erupted in slums in reaction to the government's evacuation efforts. The inhabitants, who have been living close to the railway line for a long time, clashed with police and set bulldozers to fire.
Part of the 'New Silk Road'
The new railway line in Karachi is part of China's Silk Road initiative. The money for it comes from Beijing's multibillion-dollar China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.