KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday directed the transport department to prepare detailed design of Bus Rapid Transport System (BRTS) Blue Line by September so that work on the project on Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode could be started in November 2017.
Transport Minister Nasir Shah briefed that the BRT Blue Line project is the most important project for the city and would cost around Rs8 billion and will start from Gurumandir to Al-Asif Square, Sohrab Goth.
Secretary Transport Raheem Soomro said that the length of the project is 11.80 km, including 6.6 km elevated, and will have nine stations of which five would be elevated. The project will have around 357,000 commuters daily.
Director General Karachi Mass Transit Authority Athar Ali said that there would be two packages of the project for which modified PC-I would be submitted to the Planning and Development department.
The first package deals with relocation of utilities for which coordination with utility agencies is in progress, while in the second package the project would be undertaken. He added that 30 acres land was required for which the transport department has sent a request to the Board of Revenue.
The chief minister, giving timelines for development of the infrastructure of the project, directed the transport minister to get the detailed design and bidding documents prepared by September so that procurement and mobilisation of resources could be made in November. He directed that the timeline must be strictly followed.
Murad addresses grievances of DHA residents
CM Sindh held a meeting with members of the Defence Society Resident Association (DSRA) led by President Sharafuudin Memon and discussed the issued faced by them.
The first issue discussed was the encroachment under Gizri flyover and the road from Gizri to Zamzama where car mechanics have set up their shops causing traffic jams.
The road from Girzi to Zamzama is encroached by shopkeepers and has been turned into a parking lot for truck and dumpers. CM Sindh instructed his principal secretary Sohail Rajput to direct DIG traffic and DMC South to take action in coordination with DHA and Clifton Cantonment.
The other issue discussed was the water taker mafia which charged exorbitant rates from the residents of DHA. CM Sindh instructed MD KWSB Hashim Raza Zaidi to look into the matter and take action against the water tankers charging high rates.
CM Sindh told them that he had a plan to establish fesalination plant on the sea to provide water to the residents of DHA. “We would establish a plant but there should be an organistaion to purchase the water,” he suggested.
Mr. Sharrafuddin Memon said that his association would coordinate with Clifton Cantonment when the project is officially conceived or undertaken.
The third issue came was the construction of Submarine Chowrangi underpass. The chief minister was urged to get work done at the earliest because schools are opening shortly. CM Sindh said that the construction may take one more month but he would direct the Traffic Police to smartly manage the traffic particularly during the school timings.
He also said that residents might face another traffic problem as work on constructing a flyover from Gizri to Sunset Boulevard will start soon, but assured them that traffic would be managed.
Murad assures alternative land for Education City
CM Sindh held a meeting with a delegation of Agha Khan University led by President Firoz Rasool and discussed the issues of Education City being developed at Link Road, Karachi.
The visiting delegation told the chief minister that they had acquired 1100 acres of land at Education City, but the Board of Investment has told them that 68 acres have been taken over by the under-construction K-IV water Supply project.
CM Sindh assured them the government would provide alternate land and urged them to file an application with BoI so that their request could be entertained in time.
Bahrain envoy briefed on investment opportunities
The Consul General of Bahrain Mr. Yaser Isa Ajlan Alheddi called on CM Sindh Murad Ali Shah and discussed different issues including strengthening further bilateral relations and investment in different sectors particularly energy and mining.
CM Sindh said that he has plans to take all the consul general/head of mission working in Karachi to Thar. “We have constructed a new airport, therefore there is no issue of travelling there by air,” he said.
He said he would show them the coal-fired power plants being installed there. The visit would take place in November to show the investment opportunities.
He said that Thar coal field has the potential to resolve the entire energy problem of the country, and Sindh would steer the country out of darkness and lead to industrial uplift.
He urged the Bahrian diplomat to invite investors from his country. The envoy lauded the efforts of Sindh CM for construction of road infrastructure in the city and hoped his work would make the city one of the best developed megalopolis in the world.
