> At its peak in the mid-1970s, the Karachi Circular Railway served 6 million passengers annually, but by the end of its first decade, the system was already in decline. 52 High maintenance costs and unstable funding prevented investments in the infrastructure necessary to keep up with population growth. There was no grade separation at many street intersections, and traffic congestion slowed the train as the city grew, which in turn led to lower ridership and a downward spiral in revenue. These pressures continued through the 1980s and 1990s, as the railway also faced a rash of transit crime, ticketless riders, and competition with new transport options. By 1998 the KCR was making only twelve trips a day, and traveling no faster than a walking pace in some sections. The next year it was shut down.

6 million annually to 0! Wow that is really sad :(.

I grew up in Mumbai, which is considered a sister-city to Karachi. I remember the suburban rail (which is a lifeline of the city used by millions to commute everyday) being neglected and frequently late. But when I was in high school, something changed: the trains were cleaner, started to be on time consistently and so on. Then they upgraded from the ancient rail stock to more modern cars today. And the system continue to hum along.

I wonder what caused one of the systems' precipitous decline while the other one continues to run.