KARACHI: Two overhead bridges, civic centre planned for Malir
By Zaheer Ahmed Khan
KARACHI, July 1: Two overhead bridges, a civic centre, a desalination plant and a mortuary would be among the major projects to be undertaken shortly in the Malir Town under various uplift schemes.
Moreover, a huge amount of Rs80million would be spent on provision of water and sewerage network in various UCs of the town, to be followed by construction of a network of roads and streets at a cost of Rs220 million from federal grants whose PC-1 has already been submitted by Federal Minister Shamim Siddiqui and is likely to be approved shortly.
The foundation of overhead bridges is expected to be laid next month and would greatly facilitate urban and rural people in Malir and Bin Qasim towns.
One of the bridges would be built on Sharea Faisal and Begum Khursheed Road at Malir Kala Board bus stop and the other on Thado nullah in Khokhrapar, connecting the urban areas of Malir with Memon Goth and also linking Superhighway. These projects would be undertaken under the ADP by the city government.
At a post-budget press briefing, Town Nazim Ansar Sheikh said in view of the increasing traffic volume on Begum Khursheed Road, motorists had been suffering delays both on Sharea Faisal and on Begum Khursheed Road. It would, on the one hand, ensure signal free flow of traffic on both the roads and save travel time.
Speaking about budgetary allocations for the year 2006-07, he said the town council in its budget session held with Naib Nazim Sharafat Ali in the chair approved Rs380.297million budget.
An amount of Rs121 million has been set aside for development works while Rs124.10 million have been allocated for non-development expenditure, indicating a surplus of Rs8,70,000 million, he informed.
Mr Shiekh said that owing to the receipt of a meager sum of Rs230 million from the Sindh government as matching grant in lieu of octroi, the town had been facing a severe shortage of funds for uplift works.
He said that the other sources of income of the town included receipt of Rs40 million from the city government, Rs30.3 million from the town’s own income and an expected income of Rs70.99 million from the town. But of the entire amount available and after deduction of Rs260.11 million non-development expenditure, a paltry amount of Rs120 million is available with the town which is insufficient to carry out uplift works in the town, Mr Sheikh informed.
However, Federal Minister Shamim Siddiqui, MPAs Hamiduz Zafar and Farida Baloch and the CDGK have promised to help out public representatives in carrying out development work in the town.
Explaining, he said of the Rs230 million received as zila tax matching grant, an amount of Rs120.48 million goes to salaries, Rs50.92 million is paid for garbage disposal contractor and Rs40 million has been set aside for repair and maintenance, Rs30.78 million for contingencies, Rs10 million for buildings and roads, Rs20 million for parks services and Rs10 million for mechanical and engineering.He said in view of cash crisis, the town would have to levy taxes to boost its income. The taxes have been proposed to be levied on mobile phone towers, disposal of ST and amenity plots, and issuance of NOC for residential commercial project/ society plots, and granting permission for utilisation of town’s plots for setting up of marriage lawns, petrol and CNG stations and for other development purposes, and hawkers zones would be set up. However, the town nazim faced stiff resistance by newsmen over town’s decision to regularise illegal constructions at Liaquat Market.
He said among the other welfare projects to be undertaken included setting up of two model schools in the current fiscal and award of scholarships to position holders in schools. An amusement park would be built near the town office which would be a unique park.
Lamenting the previous leadership of the town, he said despite issuance of a huge amount in the past, they indulged in an over-expenditure of Rs30 million which the town had to pay after our takeover.
