THATTA: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the newly constructed bridge on River Indus, which has connected the two newly-divided districts of Thatta and Sujawal, has paved the way for the transport of heavy machinery from Karachi port to Tharparkar to be utilised at coal-based power plants. He was addressing the inauguration ceremony of the bridge, according to a handout issued here on Friday.

He said the old Thatta-Sujawal bridge, constructed about 50 years ago, had developed cracks in its structure.

“The [major] issue was how to transport heavy machinery of coal-fired power plants to Thar coalfield,” he said, adding that the development endeavours of the government were being affected due to the old bridge.

Mr Shah said that keeping in view urgent requirement of the new bridge, his government decided to construct the structure on River Indus from its own resources. He said the bridge had been constructed within 19 months at a cost of Rs2.9 billion.

Appreciating the Thar Coal Authority, which is the executing agency of the bridge, the chief minister gave appreciation letters to the officers and the contractors concerned.

The CM said the bridge immediately joined or connected the districts of Thatta and Sujawal divided administratively recently.

Mr Shah said the new bridge would usher in ‘new vistas of development and prosperity’ in the area up to the desert of Thar, which had started producing ‘black gold’ to provide energy to the whole country.

He said the new bridge had four lanes and the old bridge, which had two lanes, would also be used simultaneously for smooth flow of traffic. “I would suggest to the district administration to use the old bridge for light traffic, including bikes,” he said.

The CM announced construction of two more bridges on River Indus, one at Zulfikarabad and the other one between Kandhkot and Ghotki, soon.

The government had already constructed a bridge on River Indus at Jhirk-Mulakatyar and he would inaugurate it shortly, he said.

Earlier, when the chief minister arrived at the bridge, he was received by provincial minister Mohammad Ali Malkani, PPP leader Sadiq Memon and others besides senior government officers.

Published in Dawn, January 28th, 2017