KARACHI, Feb 8: President General Pervez Musharraf will inaugurate the city’s first signal-free corridor linking Sharea Faisal to Site Industrial Area on Friday.

The mega project comprising six components has been completed at an estimated cost of Rs2.1 billion.

Three flyovers at Sharea Faisal Karsaz Road, National Stadium and Hassan Square and also three underpasses at Gharibabad, Liaquatabad and Nazimabad have been completed in record time of 8-9 months to resolve traffic issues.

According to a statement issued by the City Nazim’s Secretariat here on Thursday, the signal-free corridor project aims at reducing traffic-related problems in the city.

The city nazim had laid the foundation stone of these projects in the first quarter of 2006 after taking up his office and also took planning and provided resources, it added.

The statement further said that the city nazim appreciated the citizens for enduring the problems they faced during the construction of these projects.

The 760-metre long National Stadium flyover was opened for traffic on November 15, 2006 which is the second major project on the signal-free corridor. The work on this project was started in April 2006 at an estimated cost of Rs448 million.

The Hasan Square flyover, the third bridge on this signal-free corridor, was completed at an estimated cost of Rs497 million. The work on this bridge stared on June 10, 2006 and completed on December 31, 2006.

The 560-metre long underpass at Gharibabad has been completed in 12 months at an estimated cost of Rs135 million. It has one-track with three lanes.

The 668-metre long Liaquatabad underpass has been completed in eight months at an estimated cost of Rs350 million.

The construction of service roads and storm-water drains and other works have been completed as 4500-metre long storm water drain was also included in this project.

The sixth mega project on this signal-free corridor, the Nazimabad Underpass, was also completed in eight months at an estimated cost of Rs367 million. The underpass is 750-metres long and also is one of the longest underpasses in the country, the statement added.