August 06, 2008	Wednesday	Sha’aban 3, 1429

KARACHI, Aug 5: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal said that despite curtailment of the approved funds by the federal and the provincial government for the development projects of the city, the city government would open four mega projects being completed at a cost of Rs17.5 billion before the advent of Ramazan.

He was talking to newsmen at Nagan Chowrangi after a visit to the various ongoing uplift projects on late Monday night.

The city nazim said that funds for the Nagan and Gulshan Chowrangi flyovers were already approved but later withheld by the federal and the provincial authorities.

Mustafa Kamal pointed out that funds for Nagan Chowrangi, Gulshan Chowrangi projects were already approved, but they had been withheld by the federal and provincial governments.

Mr Kamal said that despite the cuts in the funds, the city government did not stop work on the uplift projects.

He said that had those projects been stopped, the overall cost of the projects would have increased manifold and would have caused losses to the national exchequer.

The nazim said that the continuity of those uplift projects was ensured by slashing medical, fuel and other non-development expenses.

He said that Nagan flyover would be completed at a cost of Rs650 million, Shahrah-i-Pakistan (from Sohrab Goth to Karimabad) at Rs550 million, a road from Yasinabad to Landi Kotal at Rs150 million and Gulshan Chowrangi flyover at Rs370 million before Ramazan.

Mr Kamal said that due to an increase in the prices of raw materials the project cost had increased.

He said in this situation only those contractors would be compensated who would manage to complete the projects on time, while action would be taken against those failing to complete the projects within the stipulated time.

Expressing his displeasure over the inordinate delay in the completion of Shahrah-i-Pakistan, the nazim set September 5 as the deadline for the relevant contractor after which all of the contracts awarded to that firm would be cancelled and the company would be blacklisted.

During the inspection of Gulshan Chowrangi flyover, Mr Kamal said it was the smallest bridge of Corridor-II which was delayed due to the negligence of the contractor concerned.

He, however, said that the city government did not suffer losses due to the delay as Rs40 million, which the company concerned had deposited with the city government as security and the balance amount of Hasan Square flyover had been withheld.

The nazim said that the girders of Gulshan flyover had become defective, which had been replaced.

He said these girders could have been used and it would not have created any problem for 10 years, but the city government did not want to compromise on the quality of work.

The nazim also directed the relevant official that a U-turn be constructed at Shahrah-i-Pakistan to facilitate the residents of Ancholi.

During his visit to Nagan Chowrangi, he directed that the entire project should be completed before August 14 and pre-cast drains be constructed for drainage of rainwater from Nagan Chowrangi and the adjoining areas.