KARACHI, May 19: The Transport and Communication Department of the city government has started construction of pedestrian bridges at four sites on build operate transfer (BOT) basis. It also plans constructing 39 other pedestrian bridges at different sites in the city on BoT basis.

A city government official told Online that the city government had planned construction of 28 bridges on different thoroughfares on BOT basis.

The city government had two years ago offered four private companies to construct pedestrian bridges on different thoroughfares. The project was initially delayed due to bureaucratic red-tapism.

At that time, a private company Armada had shown its willingness and started work on a project on the directives of former City Nazim Niamatullah Khan without signing any agreement. It had also constructed a bridge at the Urdu Science University a year ago.

Later, the ex-TCD administration ignored the project and no bridge was constructed in a two-year period. However, the new TCD administration took serious notice in the delay of these projects.

On the directives of the EDO TCD, Muhammad Ather, an agreement of a private company was cancelled and a warning letter was issued to other companies to start the project without any delay or face consequence.

On these directives, the concerned companies started work on construction sites at Lal Kothi, Duty Free Shop, Awami Markaz, and Colony Gate on Sharea Faisal.—Online