CM Sindh seeks ADB support on Red Line RBT project, southern bypass

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Thursday asked support from the Asian Development Bank on the construction of the southern bypass and Red Line Rapid Bus Transport (RBT) project in Karachi, and the Hyderabad bypass project.

The chief minister during a meeting with eight-member delegation led by Country Director Ms. Xiaohong Yang said that ADB is one of the most important partners of Sindh government in infrastructure development, transport, education and health.

“We have planned some most important projects in transport, education and roads sectors in which ADB support and cooperation is required to implement them,” he said.

Chairman Planning and Development Mohammad Waseem briefed the meeting said that Red Line RBT project has been planned to launch from Model Colony to Numaish via University road.

He said this is one of the important corridors and the government has almost completed all the formalities such as development of Mass Transit Authority, induction of necessary staff while more recruitment is also being considered.

Minister Transport Nasir Shah said that the Sindh government is developing Orange Line RBT and the federal government is constructing Green Line.  He thanked the ADB for working together to develop integration plan for all the different RBT lines.

The chief minister told the ABD director that the Red Line project is being sent to the federal government for approval, and the Sindh government would sign the agreement once it is approved.

He added by the time the P&D and Transport department would complete the other requirements. He hoped to perform ground breaking ceremony of the project by the end of this year.

CM Sindh said that 328 kilometer worth Rs1.55 billion are being constructed with the assistance of ADB. The Thul to Kandhkot road, Sheranpur to Ratodero road, and Digri to Naukot road would be completed shortly while work on the roads like Khyber to Sanghar via Tando Adam, Sanghar to Mirpurkhas via Sindhri and Tando Mohammad Khan to Badin are in progress.

CM Sindh directed Minister Works Imdad Pitafi and Secretary Works Aijaz Memon to personally monitor the progress of these roads and keep sending progress report to him.

He added that an amount of Rs3.1 billion is being saved from these roads, which should be allowed to be used for the construction of two other roads from Tangwani to Jacobabad and other in Hyderabad district.

Director ADB assured the CM Sindh that she would get approval from bank and would be done as planned by the Sindh government.

Education Minister Jam Mehtab Dahar and Secretary Education Aziz Uqaili briefed the meeting about a newly prepared $300 million project of Sindh Education Sector Improvement Project which would provide necessary improvement in the entire education system operating in the public sector.

Director ADB advised the education department to send the proposal to the ADB for onward deliberation and consultation for its approval.

Chairman P&D proposed to construct a bypass at Hyderabad to cater to the traffic coming from Mirpurkhas, Tando Allahyar and Badin for national highway towards Sukkur and upcountry.

The meeting decided to complete necessary paper work of the project so that it could be taken up for further discussion.

CM Sindh thanked ADB for their support for Flood Emergency Reconstruction Project under which the damaged road infrastructure was developed.