Chief Minister Sindh Murad Ali Shah on Monday directed the Frontiers Work Organisation (FWO) and the project director of K-IV bulk water supply project to expedite work on the water supply scheme.

The FWO has deployed three units and manpower employed on the project is 1,313, said a top official of the organisation. The official added that work on the project is being carried out on a “war footing”.

The chief minister was informed that the federal government had allocated Rs1 billion for the water scheme, against which Rs400 million have been released. The Sindh government has allocated Rs6 billion against which Rs3 billion have been released.

The chief minister also urged the FWO to expedite the work so that the remaining Rs3 billion could be released. A similar request would also be made to the federal government to release the remaining amount and allocate its Rs9 billion share in the next financial year.

The chief minister was briefed on completion of the remaining portion of the Lyari Expressway. The FWO said that they were working day and night to complete the expressway.

The chief Minister directed Commissioner Karachi Aijaz Ali Khan to expedite the work of removing encroachments which are hindering completion of the expressway.

“We would not allow halting of development works on the pretext of encroachment,” said Shah.