KARACHI, June 23: Improvement and rehabilitation of the 1.325-km-long Jehangir Road (Gurumandir-Teen Hatti) began on Wednesday. City Nazim Niamatullah Khan unveiled the plaque at the site of the project, costing Rs35.265 million, scheduled to be completed in 28 months.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khan said that the city government was making all out efforts to lay a network of beautiful and long-lasting roads in the city. He said that shortly after the completion of work on Jehangir Road, improvement of other major arteries, like Business Recorder Road, M. A. Jinnah Road, Maulvi Tameezuddin Khan Road, etc., would be initiated.

Reconstruction of Clifton's Shahrah-i-Ghalib (from Keamari intersection to Bilawal Chowrangi) has already begun, he added. Indicating that there appeared to be a heavy flow of vehicular traffic at Hassan Square and Sohrab Goth intersections, he said that the CDGK had decided to construct flyovers at both the sites. Work on both the projects, he said, would begin in the coming financial year.

With regard to fast increasing number of vehicles in the city, the nazim expressed his optimism over a considerable reduction in the volume of vehicles following implementation of decision which pertained to the shifting of inter-city bus termini to highways.

The nazim urged the contractors of Jehangir Road project to make efforts towards completing the project within five months, instead of the stipulated 28 months, without compromising on quality of work and material. He impressed upon them to make the road an exemplary one.

Speaking on the occasion, EDO (works and services) Shoaib Siddiqui, said that there would be two bus bays on either side of the road, besides 2.5-metre-wide footpaths running along it.