KARACHI: The Pakistan Peoples Party government in Sindh chose not to give any special package for Karachi in its election year budget for financial year 2017-18, it emerged on Monday.

In his budget speech, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced hefty funds for development of Hyderabad, Mirpur­khas, Shaheed Benazirabad, Larkana and Sukkur divisions, but did not give an exact figure for development of Karachi.

However, according to budget documents, the provincial government allocated a total of Rs12bn under the annual development programme (ADP) for 14 new and 15 ongoing ‘mega schemes’ to be launched/completed in Karachi in the next fiscal year.

Although the PPP has been ruling Sindh for 10 years and it was the 10th consecutive budget of his party since 2008, the chief minister claimed that he inherited a “… dilapidated, unplanned and ruined Karachi”, but his government’s sustained efforts had turned the metropolis into a “more peaceful and liveable” city.

Mr Shah’s budget speech lacked mention of any consolidated amount being allocated for development in six districts of Karachi division in the next financial year. But he specifically mentioned allocation of Rs37.13bn development funds for nine districts of Hyderabad division; Rs18.72bn for three districts of Mirpurkhas division; Rs15.59bn for three districts of Shaheed Benazirabad division; Rs18.15bn for five districts of Larkana division and Rs14.52bn of three districts of Sukkur division.

Rs12bn allocated for 14 new and 15 ongoing ‘mega schemes’ in city

The chief minister, however, did name a few ongoing and new schemes to be launched in the country’s commercial capital during the upcoming financial year. The total amount allocated for the schemes stood at Rs10bn — Rs7.7bn for seven new schemes and Rs2.3bn for four ongoing schemes.

The new schemes include construction of a 24-foot-wide road at either side of Gujjar Nala with an estimated cost of Rs1.2bn; Rs1.6bn for construction of 1,000mgd pump house at Dhabeji for supply of 65mgd additional water from Haleji Lake to Karachi; Rs1.4bn for establishment of five combined effluent treatment plants for industrial areas; Rs500 million for establishment of landfill site for Karachi at Dhabeji; Rs1.5bn for construction of a bridge on Tipu Sultan Rd and Khalid Bin Waleed Rd intersection at Shaheed-i-Millat Road; and Rs1.5bn for construction and remodelling of 12000 Road Landhi/Korangi.

For the ongoing schemes, Rs770m has been allocated for construction of University Road from NED University to Safoora Chowk; Rs200m for reconstruction/rehabilitation of Mosamiyat Road from Madras Chowk to Superhighway; Rs850m for widening of Sharea Faisal’s both tracks from Hotel Metropole to Star Gate; and Rs500m for construction of an underpass at Submarine Chowrangi.

CM Shah said the Sindh government had allocated Rs6.4bn for early completion of the K-IV water supply project and Rs1.5bn for the Greater Karachi Sewerage Project (S-III). He also announced a Rs10bn World Bank-funded Karachi Neighbourhood Improve­ment Project for development of infrastructure in old city area of district South, parts of Malir and Korangi.

Mr Shah had in his budget speech last year, which he delivered as finance minister, announced Rs10bn for 17 major infrastructure projects of Karachi.

Karachi projects

According to this year’s budget books, a total of Rs8.04bn has been earmarked for 14 new ‘mega schemes’ to be initiated in Karachi under the ADP during the next fiscal year. An amount of Rs3.9bn has been allocated under the ADP for Karachi’s 15 ongoing ‘mega schemes’.

The new ADP schemes are: construction of road from Tank Chowrangi to Superhighway via Thado Nala (Rs350m); reconstruction of Tipu Sultan Rd from Sharea Faisal to Karsaz (Rs280m); widening and reconstruction of Stadium Rd from University Rd to Rashid Minhas Rd (Rs270m); construction of flyover at Lee Market, Lyari, (644m); improvement plan for roads at Cantt railway station (Rs240m); construction and improvement of road from Fawwara Chowk to Garden (Rs650m); construction of interchange bridge at ICI intersection (Rs1bn); widening of bridge over Korangi Nullah near Habib Bank (Rs200m); construction of bridge at intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gizri Boulevard (Rs700m); construction of storm water drain (SWD) from Hassan Square to Lyari River (Rs70m); construction of SWD from Star Gate to Chakora Nullah (Rs200m); and laying of 27-inch-dia pipeline from Habib Bank to Pump No. 3 for improvement of water supply to Baldia Town (Rs400m).

Published in Dawn, June 6th, 2017