KARACHI, Feb 8: Though work on redesigning of the Purani Numaish crossing is in full swing, the Quaid-i-Azam Mazar Management Board (QMMB) is yet to take decision on a request of the city government for allotment of a small piece of land of the Mazar which is required for the expansion work.

The city government, which is carrying out the work, requires nearly three acres of land in two patches and has requested the board for the purpose a few weeks ago; but no decision has been taken so far.

One patch of the land — nearly 600 square yards — is located at the corner of the Shahrah-i-Quaideen and the M.A. Jinnah Road, adjacent to a mosque, while the other — about two-and-a-half acres — is required for construction of a 60-foot-wide road to connect Shahrah-i-Quaideen and the Nizami Road.

In response to a query, Mohammad Arif of the QMMB told Dawn that in a recent meeting of the board the matter was discussed and Brig Iftikhar of Corps-5 was assigned the job to review the proposed designs of the project and submit his recommendations to the board in its next meeting on Feb 22.

He said the board might also ask the city government to give a presentation on the project.

“After evaluating the recommendations of Brig Iftikhar and the presentation, the board will take a decision in the public interest,” he added.

He said that the board had already given over 18 acres of land in the early 1970s to a civic agency free of charge when the Shahrah-i- Quaideen and the Preedy Street extension projects were carried out.

He said that the QMMB’s land would be fragmented if the piece of land was allocated to the city government this time.