KARACHI, June 22: A whopping Rs2,361.834 million has been earmarked for transport and communication projects under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP) for 2004-05. These projects will get another Rs565 million as assistance from foreign agencies.

The above allocation is in addition to the federally-funded Karachi package under which Rs1 billion would be spent on such schemes. Of the Rs2.361 billion provided under the PSDP, Rs2.3 billion would be spent by the provincial government directly, while Rs61.538 million would be spent through district governments, according to budget documents.

Two projects that figure prominently in the PSDP, and which would be undertaken in Karachi, pertain to an underpass across Sharea Faisal and a bridge in Malir. Both these schemes would be launched and monitored at the provincial level.

A total of Rs5 million had been set aside for the construction of the Sharea Faisal underpass. Though the total estimated cost of the proposed bridge in Malir had been calculated at Rs20 million, but it had not been clearly spelt out exactly how much would be spent on it this year.

Twelve bridges have been proposed to be built in Malir, Badin, Thatta, Mirpurkhas, Thar, Sukkur and Khairpur districts for which Rs10 million had been earmarked, according to PSDP documents.

The new general schemes that had been approved under the PSDP include: construction of social sector roads/rural access roads by the province (Rs10 million); purchase of static road rollers (Rs5 million); skill development internship programmes for unemployed (Rs4 million); feasibility study for the road from Hyderabad to Rohri along River Indus (Rs3 million); and feasibility study for road from Karachi to Sehwan along Sui gas pipeline passing through Tehsil Than Bola Khan (Rs3 million).

Under the PSDP, many new projects would be launched at a cost of Rs97 million under which roads would be upgraded and improved. Included in such schemes were widening and reconditioning of Madinatul Hikmat Road up to Hub Dam landmark. Host projects, which had already been embarked upon, have also been funded.

Forty odd projects were proposed to be launched under which, construction of roads and highways would be undertaken this year at a total cost of Rs122 million.

Important among these were: construction of missing links in Badin District (Rs6 million); construction of road from Chhachro Waori Hirar Vagheji-Veri Bahroo to Dano Dhandhan (Rs4 million); construction of road from Chhachro-Pakrio to Ada-Jo-Tar (Rs4 million); construction of road from Kaloi to Diplo (Rs5 million); construction of road from Yaru Lund to Sardar Garh (Rs5 million); construction of road from Khanpur to Yaru Lund (Rs5 million); construction of from Chenasar to Yaru Lund (Rs5 million); construction of strategic roads in Thar (Rs10 million); and construction of road from Ghulamullah Otho to Raj Sheikh Bachchal (Rs6.789 million).