Sindh govt launches 365 schemes worth Rs218bn in Karachi: Murad Shah

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Karachi has been given top priority for development and 365 schemes worth 218.6 billion rupees have been launched against which allocation of Rs53 billion has been made in Annual Development Programme (ADP) 2018-19.

This he said on Wednesday while presiding over a high-profile meeting to review progress of ongoing development schemes. The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Saeed Ghani, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Finance Najam Shah, Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shahlwani, Secretary Local Government Khalid Hyder Shah, Special Secretary Local Government Niaz Soomro, Project Director Khalid Masroor and others.

The chief minister said that 365 schemes of Rs218.6 billion had been launched through ADP against which Rs53 billion had been allocated. He added that he was satisfied that out of 365 schemes, 16 mega projects for the metropolis had been completed in 2016-17 while 17 other mega projects were near completion.

Read More: CM Sindh directs completion of ongoing schemes under Karachi Package

The projects which had been completed for Rs6638.815 billion include upgradation of Pipri Filter Plant, Drig Colony Flyover, Manzil Pump Flyover, construction of Khairpur Town to Link Road, University Road, Tariq Road, Mosamyat Road, Hub River Road, Surjani to Madinatul Hikmat Road, widening of Shahrah-e-Faisal, remodeling of Baloch Colony Flyover, storm water drain from Jinnah Terminal to Chakora Nala to Natha Khan Bridge, bridge at intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gizri Boulevard and construction of storm water drain from Hassan Square to Lyari River.

Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem told the meeting that 40 schemes of Rs128441.255 million have been launched through ADP of 2018-19 and this year’s allocation was Rs34476.292 million.

These forty schemes include conversion of existing schools in model schools, construction of education complex, completion of college buildings, establishment of SZAB Law University, Bilawal Bhutto Engineering College Lyari, SZB Engineering College Memon Goth, Establishment of Sindh Institutute of Traumatology, Orthopedics at NIPA, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto Medical Complex near Razakabad, extension of SIUT, Paeds unit at NICVD, Medical College Karachi, SBB Medical College Lyari, Forensic Lab Karachi, 34 courts at Korangi, rehabilitation of Karachi Fish Harbour, 100 MGD pump house, upgradation of Dhabeji pumping station, 65 MGD additional water supply from Haleji to Pipri, revamping of Gujjar Nala, rehabilitation of filter plants at Gharo, COD, Pipri of 210 MGD capacity, improvement of main Hawksbay road, revival of surroundings of Empress Market, establishment of six garbage transfer stations, development of two sanitary engineered landfill sites, S-III (Rs3 billion have been allocated for the project), establishment of five combined effluent treatment plants for Rs7.9 billion and Rs2 billion have been allocated, construction of Drig Road Underpass with restoration of existing right turn bridge, construction of underpass at Submarine Chowrangi, Flyover at Tipu Sultan Intersection, remodeling of 12000 Road Landhi, improvement of road from Fuwara Chowk to Garden via Abdullah Haroon Road and back to Fuwara Chowk, rehabilitation of 8000 Road from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Dawood Chowrangi, Rs1256 million Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Programme (KNIP), establishment of Directorate of Urban Policy & Strategic Planning Unit, Rs2364.1 million Orange Line (so far Rs1129 million have been utilised on the project), Integrated Intelligence Transportation System, rehabilitation of link road from Malir 15 to Memon Goth and K-IV project augmentation.

The chief minister said that his government had engaged the World Bank to conduct Karachi Diagnostic Study which led to formulation of Karachi Transformation Strategy. The study suggested the pathway for improving city livability and competitiveness. Therefore, Shah, said he had decided to invest in three sectors: municipal service delivery, water supply and sanitation and municipal solid waste, urban transport (KCR and BRT) and urban policy.

Under the KNIP public spaces, roads infrastructure and city administrative services would be improved for $98 million. Under the Karachi Urban Management Project (KUMP) grants for KMC and six DMCs, capital development grants for KMC and technical assistance for development of Urban Property Tax would be awarded for $200 m.

The chief minister said that various projects were at implementation stage and some projects were at securing finances and at conceptual stage. He added that under the municipal delivery services five projects were in progress. They include K-IV of 260 MGD, S-III to remove 460 MGD sewer for Rs36 billion, combined effluent plant for five industrial areas for Rs11.79 billion, establishment of six garbage transfer stations for Rs1.66 billion and development of two sanitary landfill sites for Rs1.87 billion.

“The Karachi Water & Sewerage Modernization project worth $1.6 billion would be launched and to be completed in 10 years,” he said.

CM Murad said that investment would be made in infrastructure and institutional reform in KWSB and the World Bank was ready to support the project.

He said that in urban transport and urban connectivity some projects had been made for which funds were being arranged. They are KCR of $2 billion, Bus Rapid Transport System, six BRT lines two MRT Lines of Rs850 billion, Southern Bypass connecting Southern Karachi with Superhighway at Kathore thus providing connectivity between southern areas of Karachi and Northern Expansion of the city.

Murad Shah directed the local government minister to start the work on Hyder Ali Road and Tariq Road underpasses and work on Lee Market flyover should also be started by the end of December.

He told the project director that he would be visiting the on-going schemes from next week and issue similar instructions to keep follow up of the schemes being finalised with donor agencies for implementation.

“Insha Allah, we would make the city of Karachi one of the best and beautiful cities of the world very soon,” he concluded.