KARACHI: The Sindh government on Thursday announced rebuilding new bridge along the vulnerable Jam Sadiq Bridge connecting Korangi industrial area with the southern part of the city in line with the its plan to raise dedicated track for the Yellow Line BRT service.

The decision came at a meeting chaired by Sindh Minister for Information, Transport and Mass Transit Sharjeel Inam Memon who directed Project Director to issue notice inviting tender (NIT) for construction of new bridge of BRT Yellow Line along the Jam Sadiq Bridge.

“The minister also directed to issue expression of interest for the construction of the boundary wall around the Dawood Chowrangi and Indus Hospital Bus Depot as well,” said a statement issued after the meeting.

The meeting, it said, reviewed the progress of the project with a detailed discussion was held regarding the construction of a new bridge along the Jam Sadiq Bridge. The minister said that Sindh government wants to complete all public transport projects on time so as to provide citizens of Karachi modern, affordable and safe traveling system. He added that the provincial minister said that special precautionary and safety measures should be ensured during the construction of the new bridge to avoid any untoward incident.

“The construction period of the bridge should be reduced to one and a half years,” the statement quoted the minister as saying. “A meeting be set with DIG Traffic to prepare an alternative traffic plan for heavy traffic on Jam Sadiq Bridge. Heavy traffic should be banned on Jam Sadiq Bridge once the construction of Yellow Line Bridge begins. Besides construction of new bridge, the boundary wall work around Dawood Chowrangi and Indus hospital Bus Depot should also be started.”

While briefing, Managing Director Sindh Mass Transit Authority Zubair Chana said that the new bridge will be one kilometre long. There is a distance of 5 metres between the existing Jam Sadiq bridge and the new bridge. According to PC-1, the construction of the bridge will be completed in a period of 24 months.

“After the construction of the new bridge, the existing Jam Sadiq Bridge will be repaired and restored.”

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2022