KARACHI: Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Thursday laid the foundation stones of three flyovers in District Central which will be funded and supervised by the federal government.
These flyovers, which would be built at Sakhi Hasan Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi and KDA Chowrangi at an estimated cost of Rs2.14 billion, would be completed by March 2019.
Briefing the media on the occasion, where Mayor Wasim Akhtar was also present, Governor Ismail said that the prime minister had specific interest in the development and progress of the economic hub of the country because if Karachi made progress, the country would also progress. That was why priority was being given for development of infrastructure in the city.
He also pointed out that the prime minister had constituted a Karachi transformation committee comprising the experts of different departments and the provincial government was also invited to join the federal government projects to contribute to ensuring quality work and transparency in the implementation of the projects.
Says Green Line BRTS will become operational ‘within six months’
In reply to a question the governor said that the federation would continue to extend its full cooperation to build and develop Karachi because providing due facilities to the metropolis was among the priorities of the federal government.
Recalling that in the previous governments’ tenures Karachi continued to be ignored and the city was turned into a hotbed of problems, he said now the present government, taking all stakeholders on board, had prepared different programmes for the construction and development of the city.
In reply to yet another question, the governor said that the prime minister was taking keen interest in the development of Karachi. In this connection, he recalled that the prime minister during his visit to Karachi on Sept 16 had announced three desalination plants, each costing Rs200 million, and to turn Northern Bypass into six lanes.
When his attention was drawn towards encroachments on a playground in District Central, the governor directed the deputy commissioner to immediately remove the encroachments saying no encroachment would be tolerated on any playground in the city.
About the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit project, the governor said that the government was in search of some good operating partner to run the project which would become operational within the next six months.
Eviction from govt quarters
Regarding the eviction of occupants of government quarters, Imran Ismail said in that connection he had talked to the chief justice of Pakistan who deferred the implementation of his order about getting vacated the government residential facility and directed him to resolve the issue with mutual understanding.
“My all efforts would be to get the issue resolved within six weeks with mutual understanding and forming joint strategy in consultation with the city mayor, members of the national and provincial assemblies concerned,” he added.
Mayor Wasim Akhtar, on the occasion, thanked the prime minister and the governor for taking keen interest in the development and prosperity of Karachi and said that the people stood by those who were working for the development and progress of the city.
Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2018
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