KARACHI, Sept 18: The Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping, Babar Khan Ghauri, on Sunday paid a detailed visit to the sites of various development projects and reviewed progress on them. The minister inspected progress on the projects of the KPT Flyover, Schon Circle Underpass, Mai Kolachi road, and the M.T. Khan and M.A. Jinnah roads. He was accompanied by the Chairman, Karachi Port Trust (KPT), Vice-Admiral Ahmad Hayat.

Mr Ghauri was informed by the consultant of the Schon Circle Underpass that 85 per cent work on the project had been completed and that it would be opened for traffic in Oct 2005. He added that work on the road construction along the 4.5-km stretch was also in full swing.

It was further informed that the underpass would be completed at a total cost of Rs180 million.

The minister was apprised of the latest details of the project being constructed in conformity with international standards.

During his visit to the KPT Flyover, the project’s consultant briefed that so far 36 per cent work on the KPT Flyover had been completed and the project costing Rs594 million would be completed by Nov 30, 2006.

Later, Babar Khan Ghauri visited the Submarine Chowk to review progress of rehabilitation work on the Mai Kolachi Road terminating at NORE-I.

Consultant of the project briefed the minister that 47 per cent work on the project had been completed and that the project costing Rs699 million would be completed by June 25, 2006.

Mr Ghauri, along with the KPT chairman, also visited the MT Khan road where the project’s consultant project informed the minister that the road, starting from Jinnah Bridge and ending at the PIDC Bridge, would be completed by April 2006.

Afterwards, the minister and Vice-Admiral Ahmad Hayat went to the Jinnah Bridge to review progress on a road starting from Jinnah Bridge and ending at Boating Basin in Keamari.

They were informed that 27 per cent achievement had so far been made on the rehabilitation of the road.

The minister was informed by the concerned consultant that the road was expected to be complete by March 2006.

Representatives of various consultant companies apprised the minister for ports and shipping of the problems being faced by them.

Mr Ghauri assured them that the government would make every possible effort to resolve their problems in the shortest possible time.—APP