KARACHI, Jan 3: Communication Minister Shamim Ahmed Siddiqi has said the Lyari Expressway Rehabilitation Project has been designed to improve the living conditions of the shifted people of the LERP.

Through this project, the families living in the unhealthy environment could get better residential facilities, he said while presiding over a meeting with the officials during a visit to the project here on Monday.

Shamim Siddiqi said the construction of the Lyari Expressway was a gift of President Pervez Musharraf to the people of Karachi and its completion would rid them of the growing traffic congestion.

He said it would reduce the traffic pressure in the city by 10-15 per cent, thus providing better traffic and transport system and casting soothing economic impact on the city besides helping in solving the problems like law and order.

The minister reviewed the position about the right of way achieved so far with the help of maps. He directed that work be immediately started on the attainment of required right of way for the construction of the expressway so that the project could see the completion at the earliest possible date.

Shamim Siddiqi said that side by side the construction of the Expressway, the accompolishment of the resettlement process would prove like a pilot project which would open up new vistas for development of better housing facilities in Karachi.

He observed that since the shifted people changed places from one to another, they would certainly face initial problems. However, the effects of shifting to a better environment would start appearing soon if the project staff worked hard.

He called for effective measures for providing all facilities of life in the resettlement schemes for the shifted. He said he would personally talk to the department concerned for the supply of gas and electricity so that development works could be expeditiously completed.

Earlier, Project Director Shafiqur Rehman Paracha briefed the minister on various stages of resettlement and the progress made in this regard at the three resettlement sites. He thanked the communication minister for ordering the establishment of post offices at the resettlement sites. - APP