KARACHI, Sept 4: The Adviser to Chief Minister on Local Bodies, Waseem Akhtar, said on Saturday that bottlenecks in Hawkesbay Scheme 42 had been removed and planning had been finalized to hand over 10,000 plots of 80 and 240 sq-yd to their respective owners.

Speaking on his visit to Hawkesbay, the adviser said that development work was in full swing so that 33,000 other owners could also be handed over possession of their plots. He said the scheme would provide cost-effective and standard residences to 43,000 families. He said the government was trying its best to complete this mega residential scheme.

He said for early completion of the remaining development work, the Sindh government would soon release Rs210 million, while a decision about Rs500 million due on other organizations would also be taken soon.

Mr Wasim said the governor was taking keen interest in solving problems of citizens, adding the governor would pay a visit to Hawkesbay next week. Project Director Shafiqur Rehman Paracha in his briefing on the project said that 71 sectors had been made on an area of 7,465 acres with a capacity for more than 42,000 plots.

He said development had been completed work in 26 sectors on the instructions of the governor. He added that six-km inner roads had been completed, besides sewerage system and storm-drains, while tree plantation work was in full swing.

He said that in Block 3, earmarked for Karachi Press Club members, construction of inner streets, roads, sewerage system and storm drains had been completed; while efforts were on to provide water, gas and electricity. He said the block was ready for giving possession of plots to their owners.

Mr Paracha said the Sindh governor had laid the foundation stone of the project in 2003 whereafter development work was taken on at an accelerated pace since the last two years.

He said that 10,000 plots of 80 and 240 sq-yds were ready in block numbers 11, 12, 23 and 26, where development work was almost complete.—PPI