KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday directed the authorities to expedite work on the Malir Expressway so that one portion of the project from Korangi or Quaidabad could be opened for traffic by the year end.

He issued the directives while visiting the 39.4-km under-construction expressway from Korangi to Kathore.

Briefing the CM, Malir Expressway project director Niaz Soomro said there were two parts/packages of the road — Jam Sadiq to Quaidabad, where the progress of the work had been recorded at around 38 per cent, and from Quaidabad to Kathore, where it was 15 per cent.

The CM was told that the project had six interchanges and as many straight bridges on which work was in progress.

Mr Shah said that with the completion of the project, traffic congestion in the city would come down and it would cut around 40km distance for the traffic coming towards Karachi and going out to Jasmshoro and even to Thatta.

Expresses displeasure over dumping of debris, trash on city roads

Mr Shah said the completion of the project would usher in new vistas of development in Malir, particularly in the areas of Memon Goth and its adjoining areas.

Action against dumping debris along roads ordered

The CM also directed the district administration and the police of all the districts of Karachi to impound the vehicles, arrest their drivers and contractors if they were found dumping debris or trash along the roads of the city.

“This is unacceptable, and I would take strict action against the administration and the police if the debris is found to be dumped along the roads,” he warned.

He issued these directives to the commissioner during his visit to the city on Sunday morning.

Mr Shah visited different districts, particularly Korangi and Malir, and found the debris and trash dumped along Korangi Road. The CM got out of his vehicle and called the deputy commissioners (DCs), superintendents of police (SPs), and the DIGs and expressed his displeasure over the issue.

He directed the Karachi commissioner to issue directives to all the DCs, DIGs, and SSPs to take strict action against the violators.

“I will not tolerate negligence in the matter,” he said and added his government was spending millions of rupees on cleaning the city and shifting the debris to the landfill site and contrary to it people are dumping their trash and construction material and the debris along the roads,“ he lamented.

Published in Dawn, June 19th, 2023