KARACHI, Sept 1: The city government has worked out a comprehensive plan costing Rs2.87 billion for the resettlement of affected people of the Lyari Expressway Project.

According to the plan, three resettlement colonies are being constructed at Hawkesbay Housing Scheme-42, Baldia Town and Taiser Town Scheme No 45.

The Hawkesbay Colony, situated near People’s Colony, consisting of 165 acres of land, will have 4,516 housing units, and each will comprise 80 sq yards.

The Baldia Town resettlement area, consisting of 145 acres of land, will have 4,314 housing units, while the Taiser Town Colony, consisting of 195 acres, will have 6,501 housing units.

The resettlement plan has been prepared by the master plan department of the city government on the directives of the federal and provincial governments.

A visit to the site of the resettlement colony in Hawkesbay scheme showed that construction work on more than 200 houses has been started by the allottees after getting their allotment orders and compensation amount.

Most of these housing units were either completed, or in an advanced stage of completion, that too in a short period at a place where transportation is the main problem for bringing in construction material.

This reporter interviewed some of the residents who expressed their complete satisfaction over the resettlement plan, saying that they are now living in a better atmosphere.

An unusual scene was witnessed when this reporter saw some of the allottees building their houses with the old construction material which they had brought from the demolished site.

In order to speed up construction, the city government has ordered the immediate construction of internal roads and water tanks.

Giving the salient features of the resettlement colonies at the Hawkesbay site, DCO Shafiq-ur-Rehman Paracha said these low-cost colonies would serve as models where people will have all the basic amenities.

He said that “the city government (has) attached great importance to the resettlement of the affected people of the Lyari Expressway Project.”

Paracha ruled out the question of land-grabbing, saying that he especially issued orders to the officials that all development work should be carried out according to the master plan.

To a question, he said that the master plan was prepared by the city government and a PC-1 was sent to the federal government for approval.

He dispelled the impression that any irregularity was committed during a survey of housing units at the Expressway site.

He said that the survey was not only conducted by civilian agencies, but the whole exercise was monitored by army authorities also, and there was complete transparency in the process.

He posed a counter question, asking why not even a single person had come out claiming that a false slip was issued during the survey, or that any genuine occupant was denied his rights.

Repudiating the negative propaganda about the Expressway project, he said that “the project is (in) no way a disaster project. It is being built considering the interests of the city and the country.”

To a question, Paracha said steps would be taken to ensure that there would be no reselling of the housing units.

He said that the resettlement housing colonies would be built according to modern town planning where people will have all the basic facilities including water, sewerage, health and construction.

He directed the officials of all the civic and utility services concerned to complete the work on a primary school by Friday next. The DCO also told officials that work on internal roads and link roads should be completed as well.

On a demand from the residents regarding a market site, the DCO ordered that work should be immediately undertaken for the construction of a temporary market so that people could buy basic necessities.

He also issued orders that two water tankers should be purchased for providing water to the people. At the same time, the construction of water tanks should be completed as soon as possible.

The DCO also visited an under-construction site, and ordered that it should be completed within four weeks.

Earlier, talking to residents, the DCO assured that they would be also be provided the facilities of electricity, gas, and telephone.

He said payment had already been made to the KESC for the provision of electricity, and hoped that the problem would be solved shortly.