KARACHI, July 18: Built at a cost of Rs145 million, the flyover at Shahrah-i-Quaideen was opened for traffic on Monday afternoon. Adviser to the Chief Minister on Local Government Waseem Akhtar formally inaugurated the facility at a simple ceremony held at the site by unveiling the plaque. Later, talking to newsmen the adviser said that the cost of this 533-metre-long and 24-metre-wide flyover was originally put it Rs109 million but was revised to Rs145 million. He said that the work on the project had been started by city government but when it slowed down, he had written to the then city nazim to look into the matter. The nazim’s attention had also been drawn to the traffic chaos due to digging of many adjacent roads.

Mr Akhtar said that there had been deficiencies pinpointed during the course of the construction work but the same were got rectified. Such problems included dangerous crossing at certain points and with the improvement of approach road later, risk of accidents had been eliminated, he added.

At on end of the flyover, he said, he got the service road closed and ordered construction of green belts to discourage encroachments.

Mr Akhtar said that the flyover would reduce traffic pressure on Tariq Road as the other road, between Allahwali and Sindhi Muslim Society roundabouts had been made one-way and now the traffic coming from the side of the Quaid’s Mazar would flow directly towards Sharea Faisal through the flyover.

Replying to a question, the adviser said that work on the long-pending Manghopir Road was being started from Tuesday (July 19).

He said that the former city government, while issuing tenders, had not addressed to problems of underground services like water, sewerage and gas lines and other allied works. However, when this came to his knowledge, he took up the matter with the provincial planning minister and got Rs100 million released for these additional works.

Waseem Akhtar alleged that the former city government had failed to carry out correct planning for the city and pay attention to providing alternative routes to address traffic problem which was becoming serious day by day.

He said this issue was now being actively considered and various options were being examined, one of them being an elevated road from Metropole to airport.

On the occasion, the adviser revealed that while work on Gharibabad underpass had been started, order for FTC underpass construction work had also been issued.

In reply to a question, he said that various organizations like Anti-corruption, NAB, Local Government Commission, etc. were looking into the aspect of corruption involving former nazims whereas the chief minister had also set up a committee in this regard.

In response to another question on the same context, he said that a course of action did exist viz-a-viz the references put forward against the nazims accused of corruption.—APP