KARACHI, Feb 7: City Nazim Niamatullah Khan has directed the officials concerned to ensure that the under-construction Jehangir Road is reopened to vehicular traffic in a couple of days in order to avoid any inconvenience to people on the eve of Ashura.

He issued the directive during his visit to Jehangir Road where he was briefed about progress of work on the project. The nazim told the officials that the contractor concerned be asked not to undertake the reconstruction of the other track of the road before Ashura to avoid hindrance in the movement of people and flow of traffic during the first 10 days of Muharram.

He also issued directives for proper street lighting arrangements along the road, and said that the work be completed within the stipulated time.

Regarding quality of work and its objective, the nazim hoped that the contractor would have ensured that rainwater would not accumulate on the road which was being reconstructed on American Astho technology. The contractor was supposed to have also ensured that the storm-water drains running all along the road was properly cleaned.

The officials of the works and services department told the nazim that carpeting of the one track of Jehangir Road (from Teen Hatti to Gurumandir) was in its final stage and after its completion, the road would be reopened.

Niamatullah Khan said that the reconstruction work of Lasbela Road should also be expedited to ensure its completion before the advent of Muharram. He, however, urged the officials concerned and the contractor not to compromise on quality so that the huge amount of money being spent on the project did not go waste.

In response to the nazim's queries about pace of work on Shahrah-i-Quaideen Flyover, the officials told him that in spite of some difficulties in acquiring steel for the project, efforts were being made to complete the project and reopen the route in March.

DCO Fazalur Rehman, EDO Works Syed Sarfaraz Ali Shah, Tameer-i-Karachi Programme's Project Director Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, DDO Works Nasir Bashir and the nazim's adviser Abid Ilyas were present on the occasion.