Murad says completion of road schemes will give new look to Sindh

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Thursday said that after the completion of 503 road schemes launched under Annual Development Programme 2017-18 and six schemes of 328 km under assistance from Asian Development Bank would give the province a decent look with adequate road infrastructure.

The chief minister while presiding over a meeting to review the progress of road sector schemes launched by Works and Services department across Sindh was informed by Minister Works Imdad Pitafi that 496 schemes which include 488 road and eight  building sector have been launched worth Rs26 billion.

Pitafi said the government has released Rs8.3 billion, and 146 schemes would be completed by the end of June 2018, while six schemes of 328 km are ongoing worth Rs22.7 million with assistance from Asian Development Bank.

Secretary Works Aijaz Memon giving progress of ADB schemes and said that 44km long Thul –Kandhkot Road launched in December 2016 at the cost of Rs2.065 billion has achieved 15 percent progress. The 36km Sheranpur to Ratodero schemes launched for Rs1.45 billion has 13 percent progress, 64-km Khyber to Sanghar via Tando Adam road of Rs2.8 billion has 5 percent progress, and 63-km Sanghar to Mirpurkhas via Sindhri Road has only six percent progress.

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CM Sindh expressed his displeasure and called DC Mirpurkhas and directed to personally visit the under-construction roads and report him whether the work was ongoing on has been halted.

“I would not tolerate this kind of lethargy- I have reports that work has been stopped on the scheme for the reasons best known to the concerned engineer,” he said.

The secretary also told the meeting that 67km Tando Mohammad Khan to Badin road launched for Rs3.39 billion has 5.32 percent progress and the 54km Digri to Naukot road for Rs3.35 billion has 5.7 percent. CM Sindh directed to activate his engineers to complete the work with best quality in time.

CM Sindh was informed that a substantial amount of Rs4.8 billion has been allocated for repair of roads and buildings under Maintenance and Repair (M&R).

Karachi has been given Rs126.88 million for provincial and Rs54.378 million for district roads, Hyderabad has Rs341.677 million for provincial and Rs146.433 million for district roads, Badin has been given Rs229.54 million for provincial roads and Rs98.3 million for district roads, Dadu has Rs234.42 million for provincial and Rs98.37 million for district roads, Jamshoro has Rs243.4 million for provincial and Rs25.94 for districts roads, Tando Mohammad Khan and Tando Allahyar has the same allocation Rs54.48 million for provincial and Rs23.35 million, Matiari has the allocation of Rs54.48 million for provincial and Rs23.35 million for district, Thatta has Rs247.7 million for provincial and Rs53 million for district while Sujawal has Rs53 million for district roads because the Thatta and Sujawal have the same provincial roads.

Khairpur has been given Rs217.8 million for provincial and Rs93.36 million for district, Naushehro Feroze has Rs121.8 million for provincial and Rs52.23 million district, Kambar has Rs100 million or provincial and Rs50 million for district roads. Mirpurkhas has been given Rs280 million for provincial and Rs120 million for district, Umerkot has Rs90.8 million for provincial and Rs38.9 million for district ADP.

Tharparkar has the allocation of Rs92 million for provincial and Rs39.4 million for district roads, Benazirabad has Rs142.3 million for provincial and Rs61.003 million for district, Sanghar has RS227.36 million for provincial and Rs97.44 million for district, Shikarpur has Rs91.96 million for provincial and Rs39.414 million for district, Jacobabad has Rs158 million for provincial and Rs67.7 million for district, Kashmore has Rs60.5 million provincial and Rs25.9 million for district, Sukkur Rs114.5 million for provincial and Rs49.07 million for district and Ghotki has the allocation of Rs109.9 million and Rs47.1 million for district roads.

CM Sindh directed the Chairman Planning and Development Mohammad Waseem to send his Director-General to inspect the construction of the roads being proposed for repair and report him. “I want proper maintenance of roads and would personally visit them,” he said and added he has reports that the maintenance work is not done properly.