KARACHI, Feb 6: The city nazim, Niamatullah Khan, on Sunday inaugurated the first e-government customer service centre of the local government in Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town.

People would be able to register complaints regarding water supply, sewerage, road damages, garbage and cleaning of drains through internet, telephone, post or in person at the centre on which immediate action will be taken. Complaints can be registered round the clock the centre.

The complainants would be given a computerised tracking number so that they could see the action taken on their complaints on the internet. These complaints would be forwarded to the concerned departments and redressed in a maximum of five days.

The nazim also suggested "Markaz Awami Khidmat" as a name for the customer service centre.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Mr Niamat announced that another customer service centre would be started shortly at the city government's head office as well.

He informed that work was in progress at the city government's head office for networking of all towns. The central server would be installed at the city government's computer section.

The nazim on the occasion also informed that Karachi's second biggest multi-million rupees government cardiac hospital would be inaugurated by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz by the end of Feb or in early March.

Machinery worth Rs30 million had been purchased for the said institute known as the Karachi Institute of Heart Diseases and constructed by the city government in Federal B Area.

While 10 chest pain centres would also be set up for provision of immediate medical aid to patients suffering from heart attack. These centres would be equipped with doctors, senior paramedical staff and ambulance.

Efforts were also under way for setting up a Women university in Karachi where girls from a financially poor background would also get admission. The project would cost Rs30 million, and construction work would soon start at near the Safoorah Goth.

While as part of efforts to promote IT, an IT university would also be established at Korangi and another one in North Karachi.

Referring to the construction of the Karsaz, Stadium, Rashid Minhas and other roads, Mr Niamat said that 19 city roads were simultaneously under construction.

He informed that the PIA had sanctioned Rs300 million for the construction of the University Road from Jail Chowrangi to Safoora Goth.

He observed that certain towns were short of resources; therefore, a system of brotherly division of resources between the rich and poor towns had been established, citing an instance when the Gulberg Town carried out development works in Lyari Town.

An elevated road would also be constructed on the Sharea Faisal, from the airport to Metropole Hotel, the city nazim said, adding that motorists using the road would have to pay toll tax. Talks were in progress with various companies for the project, he stated.

The nazim reiterated that the city government would reintroduce tramway system in the city similar to the one operative in Geneva. Talks had been finalised with a Russian company in this regard, the nazim said.

Movement of other vehicles in areas where tram would operate would not be allowed, he said. He informed that an agreement was soon to be concluded with an American firm for power generation from garbage, adding that plants would be set up for desalination as well.

Niamat also said that efforts were being made for honoraria for UC nazims and a decision in this regard would be taken soon. He said that efficient and honest officers should be encouraged. They should be given awards and cash prizes for their performance, so that quality work could be done obtained.

Naib City Nazim Tariq Hasan, on the occasion, said people had already started getting the fruits of the new local government system, adding that 3,800 elected representatives worked round the clock under the dynamic leadership of Niamatullah, and changed the very face of Karachi.

DCO Fazlur Rehman, on the occasion, called upon bureaucrats and public representatives to make collective efforts for solving the problems of people.

Senior Presiding Officer of City Council Muslim Pervez, Gulshan-i-Iqbal Town Nazim Abdul Wahab, and MNAs and MPAs were also present. - APP