KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah said that he would discuss some important projects including Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), Keti Bandar, Dhabeji Economic Zone, River lining, mega desalination plant for Karachi in China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC)-related Joint Coordination Committee (JCC) meeting which would be held in Beijing by the end of December 2018. The CM said that said while presiding over a preparatory meeting for JJC meeting. Murad Ali Shah said that the three projects approved in the 6th JCC meeting held on 29 December 2016 would be taken up again since their formalities had been completed. “I want to gift people Karachi Circular Railways (KCR),” he said. He added that the $1.97 billion (bn) KCR project would not only resolve traffic issues of the city but it would lift the overall image of the city in terms of urban transport facilities. The KCR would start from Wazir Mansion and covering the areas of Tower, Karachi City, DOCs, Karachi cant, Naval , Chanesar, Shaheed-e-Millat, Drigh Road, Drigh Colony, Star Gate, Jinnah Terminal, Johar, Alladin park, Nipa, Gilani, Yaseenabad, Liaquatabad, Nazimabad, Orangabad, KBL, manghopir, SITE, Shah Latif Baldia, Lyari and terminate back at Wazir Mansion. Talking about Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (SEZ) project, the Sindh CM said that it was being established on 1,530 acres. “The zone is located at the most important location connected with National Highway and near to Motorway. This project would cost around Rs 43 bn,” he said. Planning and Development (P&D) chairman Mohammad Waseem told the chief minister that the paper work of Keti Bunder was being completed. CM Murad was informed that Keti Bunder would serve as a jetty for coal export in the first phase of its development and would afterwards be upgraded into a full-fledged seaport in the second phase. He was told that the port’s connectivity would be maximised through the construction of roads linking it to the National Highway and Motorway. CM Shah said that he had also worked out some other projects including agricultural projects, environmental schemes, mega desalination project for Karachi. “We may also request for river lining from Guddu to Sukkur,” he said. The chief minister said that China had made tremendous progress in agriculture sector. “We want to take benefit from their research and practical work,” he said and added the agriculture project would include changing of cropping pattern, introduction of low delta and, high yield crops and mechanization of entire agriculture system. Talking about environment projects, the Sindh chief minister said that he would make the entire province green. He said that millions of trees would be planted and looked after as a part of the plantation project. “I will start tree plantation right from Thar to Kinjhar and from Karachi to Kashmore,” he said. He said that people were talking about the climate change but the provincial government would take tangible measures to improve environment under the guidance of Paris agreement. He said that the Indus River would be lined from Guddu Barrage to Sukkur Barrage. “I have started consultations with the water experts and all the consultations would be finalised within next 15 days so that this project, if feasible, can be tabled in the JJC meeting,” the CM told the meeting. He said that lining the river would not only help in conservation of water but would also mitigate effects of water-logging on both banks of the river. “This would also save the katcha area from flooding,” he said. The meeting was attended by minister for Agriculture Ismail Rahu, Energy minister Imtiaz Shaikh, Transport minister Awais Shah, P&D chairman Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, relevant secretaries and Azeem Uqaili of Sindh Board of Investment. Published in Daily Times, December 8th 2018.