23 February 2004	Monday	02 Muharram 1425

HYDERABAD, Feb 22: The Sindh minister for works and communication has directed the highways department officials to prepare a feasibility report for a bridge over the Indus between Mulla Katyar and Bulri Shah Karim.

The minister, Arbab Ghulam Raheem, said the proposed bridge would reduce the distance between Badin and Tharparkar districts and Karachi. He issued the directive at a meeting with the elected representatives and government officers at Shahbaz Hall on Saturday.

He said his tours to Sindh districts were aimed at contacting the elected representatives to seek their advise for improving the communication system. Mr Arbab said proposals given by them would be placed before the Sindh cabinet for taking a final decision and implementing the viable development schemes.

The minister said without people's participation, the objectives of the on-going development schemes could not be achieved. He directed the officials to complete the on-going development schemes within the stipulated period and before undertaking any work of roads, the problems of water supply and sewerage lines must be examined technically.

He said wherever industries and oil fields were located the help of the industrialists should also be sought for all development schemes. The minister said the Fateh Chowk-Tando Mohammad Khan road should be repaired and the Fateh Chowk-Ghanghra Mori road should be widened in cooperation with the SITE management.

He also gave on the spot approval on the schemes of roads identified by the elected representatives and sought their support for the removal of encroachments to commission these schemes.

Speaking on the occasion, superintending engineer, highways, Sharif Nizamani, said the department had taken up 16 development schemes of roads in Hyderabad region which would cost Rs678.53 million.

The roads include Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas road, parts of National Highway, Hyderabad-Kotri road, Tando Muhammad Khan-Sujawal road, Mirwah, Chambar and Tando Allahyar road, Sultanabad to Mirpurkhas, Mirwal road and Matiari-Nasarpur road.

He said under the annual development programme 2004-05, four new development schemes of roads had also been earmarked. The EDO, works and communications, Habib Memon, said the district government had completed ten schemes of roads of 430 kms. He also gave details of the development schemes of the Khushhal Pakistan programme.