KARACHI: Work on the Submarine Chowrangi underpass, a Rs707 million project, has quickened during the last few days. Heavy machinery, including cranes and shovels, deployed there are seen working day and night. The tunnel has been dug up, its contents loaded and carried away in dumpers. In fact cement foundation has also been laid on a major part of the tunnel. Unfortunately two young boys — one 10-years-old and the other 12 — drowned while trying to swim in the rainwater collected there after a spell of rain on June 29.

Apparently efforts are being made to complete the project as early as possible after a deadline set by the Sindh chief minister for its inauguration. He wants it to be opened by the end of next month. He had set July 20 for the inauguration of the underpass near Drigh Road, named after slain PPP activist Munawwar Soharwardi, and the officials concerned had been active enough to ensure its completion and inauguration on July 23. This will be in contrast to the Malir flyover project, which took many more years and was supposed to be completed during Qaim Ali Shah’s tenure as chief minister.

Earlier, a flyover built at the Korangi Crossing was set to be inaugurated by the chief minister on February 20; it was opened to the public a couple of days before the date. The officials condoned the ‘illegal’ act saying that the CM had ordered its opening without the formality of an inauguration for public convenience.

People earlier travelling through the crossroads are pleasantly surprised these days that the traffic flow is not as nightmarish as it was before the work had begun. Earlier a big number of traffic policemen posted there to ensure a smooth flow of traffic looked helpless or indifferent to the misery of commuters who would be stuck on all four tracks for a long time. They seemed to be part of the problem instead of its solution, standing lazily after allowing traffic of one side to move through.

The project is part of the multibillion rupee Karachi Package. The stretch of road between Boat Basin and Korangi Road is slated to be made signal-free.

Published in Dawn, July 29th, 2017