RAWALPINDI, Nov 19: The Planning Commission of Pakistan was asked on Friday to undertake the processing of a plan for a modern Mass Transit System for Karachi and its completion on a fast track basis.
According to an official statement issued here, the directive was issued during a presentation given to President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the Karachi Mass Transit System. Non-existence of such a system was resulting in traffic congestion on roads causing and inconvenience to people.
It was considered that mass transit systems be planned for all major cities of the country and implemented in a professional manner, and urgently so. The meeting was also briefed on a plan for smooth supply of water in Karachi. A number of measures to improve the water supply were approved. It was decided to relocate hydrants close to water-deficient areas of the city for prompt delivery.
The pace of implementation on the Lyari Expressway was also reviewed and directions were given for the project's early completion to ensure smooth road communication in the port city and to eliminate congestion due to tankers and other cargo vehicles.
It was further directed that during the construction of the Lyari Expressway there should be minimum displacement of people. The meeting was attended by Minister for Railways Mian Shamim Haidar, Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Dr Akram Sheikh and senior federal and provincial government officers.
