KARACHI, Feb 9: Several projects costing billion of rupees, continue to hang in the balance for the past many years in Karachi South as the City Government has not yet to decide their fate, inquiries show.
These projects were launched in the 90s and have been wilfully neglected owing to bureaucratic wranglings depriving the defunct corporation a major source of income, thus causing a sheer wastage of public money.
These projects included a children park, two markets, a polytechnic institute for women and two sports complexes. Work on some of these projects had either been completed, or was later abandoned.
The Rs17.2 million project, called Bakhtawar Park Project, was launched in 1996 to provide recreational facilities to children. Although majors works on the project were completed, the project was abandoned and presently it needs proper maintenance.
A visit to the park shows that the park is badly managed and looks like a deserted place despite the fact that a huge amount was spent on its development works.
Residents and CBO activists claimed that the contractor had used substandard construction material as a result cracks have appeared in cemented structures.
According to the residents, electrical works, water supply scheme are yet to be undertaken. They area people urged the City Government to hand over the park to the Lyari Town.
MARKETS: the fate of two market complexes— Chawkiwara and Khadda markets — is also yet to be decided. Both these projects were launched in 1996.
Work on Khadda market project could not be undertaken because of a dispute between a contractor and the defunct KMC over the construction cost. Thus, the project was left incomplete.
Currently, the project site is being used as a garbage dumping ground.
The Chawkiwara market project is still lying unattended despite the fact its first phase had been completed. Last year tenders were invited for the auction of some of the shops by the defunct KMC, the same were later cancelled. Thus, the project was left incomplete.
The project site and the shops are presently being in the possession of “unauthorised persons”.
Commenting on the situation, an official of the Lyari Town said since the matter came under the purview of the City Government, they are not in a position to take any legal action.
Area people have urged the City Government to hand over the possession of these abandoned projects to the Town authorities and land management issue to be resolved sooner the better.
Besides, two important projects are still lying attended —one is a football stadium situated on the Tannery Road just opposite Lyari General Hospital.
The stadium houses 32 large-size shops which are yet to be auctioned.
Moreover, work on a polytechnic institute for women is yet to commence. The project site is also situated near Lyari General Hospital.
