KARACHI, Nov 25: The Sindh government has restated its plan to build a modern office complex on the site of the existing old barracks to accommodate its various departments.
In this connection, a high-level meeting was held recently with Chief Secretary Dr Mutawakkil Qazi in the chair. The meeting discussed different aspects of the proposal and the Works and Services department was asked to prepare a feasibility report to be put forward to the provincial cabinet for consideration, it is reliably learnt.
A similar feasibility report was prepared in 2000 which was eventually approved by the cabinet. However, before any detailed plan could be prepared for a clearance by the planning department, the government changed its priorities. Following transfer of the concerned officials later, the file of the plan disappeared under a huge pile-up of the files of ‘abandoned’ reports.
When Dr Qazi, who was additional chief secretary during the period, was asked about the background of the project and the reasons for the government’s renewed interest in the project, he told Dawn that the barracks currently housing the offices had been built as long ago as in 1947-48. Their structure, he added, remained suitable enough till about 15 years after construction. Now they are in a dilapidated condition and their maintenance cost has also been increasing over the decades.
Besides, he added, in view of the increasing security problems and growing requirement of extra space for the personnel and equipment, a survey had been conducted by a representative of the World Bank. On the basis of their report, it was proposed that entire structure be rebuild to ensure better accommodation for the offices housed in the old barracks. These offices include Anti-corruption Establishment, Education, Archeology, Revenue, Information, Sindh Public Service Commission, Excise and Taxation, Engineering and Works, etc. Rebuilding the complex would not only bring down the maintenance cost but also make room for a more specious accommodation for each of the offices with proper green islands and parking lot within the existing site. The building plan has been chalked out with special consideration to beautification and healthy environment in the surroundings of the adjacent Sindh High Court building.
As it was not possible for the cash-stripped Sindh government to bear the expenses of complex construction, it was proposed that a portion, the strip of the barracks overlooking Burns Road, be disposed of by auctioning it through the Privatisation Commission and the funds generated so be utilized to rebuild the rest of the site.
In reply to a question, Dr Qazi said if there were scarce finance resources, then public importance projects could be built through urban renewal resources ensuring proper use of land pattern. A model of such a plan is the WTC site in New York where before 9/11 tragedy, the local government had cleared slums and made effective use of land pattern by laying modern infrastructure to meet the requirements of high-rise buildings and to create a hygienic environment for the citizens with enough open and green patches around.
Replying to another question, Dr Qazi said that some of the federal government offices were also located in the barracks, e.g. Federal Shariat Court, but this matter could be taken up with the Centre which in the past had agreed in principle to transform barracks structure into a modern office complex.
He revealed that security around the new complex would be strengthened by installing surveillance cameras all around it. Moreover, he added, suitable arrangements would be made to ensure proper parking and prevent traffic jams on the nearby busy roads.
He said that it had been observed that the traffic jams during peak hours, both in the morning and afternoon, had become order of the day due to various reasons, mainly increased vehicular movement and growing population in the area which happened to be a vital business district.
