KARACHI, Aug 30: The City District Government Karachi on Wednesday decided to kick off infrastructure development work in Scheme 33 (Gulzar-i-Hijri) at double pace so that this largest residential scheme of the city, put on back burner since 1971, could be completed at an earliest.

A high-level meeting, held here with City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal in the chair, decided to accelerate development work on the Scheme 33. It was decided to make a chart of phased development works, besides setting up of a office of the project director in the limits of scheme on an urgent basis.

The meeting decided to recruit a consultant for supervising development work and expediting pre-qualification of interested firms. It was also decided that all staff of the defunct KDA would be handed to the project director, and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB) would initiate work at the scheme from Aug 31.

On the request of the project director, it was decided to hand over land record of the revenue department, and anti-encroachment staff to him. Concerned staff of all other departments involved in Scheme-33 would also be made subordinated to him.

The City Nazim asked the project director to submit schedules of six-month phases of development work in the next meeting, and initially complete infrastructure in those areas which were populated.

It was decided to set up an anti-encroachment cell that would take action against encroachments on daily basis and submit report to the project director. It was agreed that the project director could be provided with extra anti-encroachment staff and machinery as and when needed.

It was decided not to initiate any work without prior approval of its PC-1 from the DDWP.

Separately, a delegation of a construction firm of South America called on the city nazim on Tuesday night and presented him a plan of low-cost houses in Taiser Town.

The proposed fireproof house on 80-square plot could be completed in 45 days at a cost of Rs3,50,000.—PPI