HYDERABAD, Nov 6: The district government of Hyderabad plans to spend Rs1.75 billion on six mega projects which will be launched in the current month.

Announcing the development schemes at a press conference at the district nazims secretariat on Tuesday, the Hyderabad district nazim Kanwar Naveed Jamil said that along with the ongoing development programmes, the mega projects would be launched during the current month.

He said different consultants and contractors of international repute had been hired for each scheme which will be vetted by experts to ensure that the projects are constructed strictly in accordance with the given specification.

He said this was considered essential, especially, in case of flyovers, keeping in view the experience of Northern bypass in Karachi.

Giving details about the mega projects, Kanwar Naveed Jamil said that an arterial road would be constructed from Hyderabad bypass to Ghangra Mori on the bank of Akram wah road at a cost of Rs786.553 million to ease pressure on other roads.

He said this project would be completed by July 2008, for which the services of M/S ABM Engineers Karachi have been hired as consultants while M/S Maqbool Associates Karachi will be the contractor.

He said this project includes dualization of about 11km road from Fateh chowk to Hyderabad bypass via Ghangra Mori and National Highway. He said under this scheme, a flyover will also be constructed at the railway crossing Mirpurkhas road as well as an alleviated bridge at the National Highway crossing.

The second mega project, he said, was the construction of flyover and road near Gharib Nawaz bridge which will cost Rs451 million. M/S Engineering Associates Karachi will be the consultant. The project will be completed by July 2008.

The third mega project includes the laying of a 60-inch-dia main from new water treatment plant to Thandi Sarak pumping station.

The project will cost Rs525 million for which the services of M/S Usmani and Company Karachi have been hired as consultant and M/S Syed Engineering Company as contractor. The project will be completed in Oct 2008.

The district nazim said that yet another project of widening, improvement and re-conditioning of road from beneath Hyderabad bypass towards Kotri barrage Jamshoro will be completed by June 2008 at a cost of Rs187.570 million.

He said the services of M/S Umer Munshi Associates Karachi as consultant and M/S Salman Enterprises as contractor have been hired.

Mr Jamil said that three bridges will be constructed on National Highway which will include construction and widening of bridge on Phulelli canal at a cost of Rs48.84 million, construction and widening of bridge on Pinyari canal at a cost of Rs56.41 million and construction and widening of bridge on Akram wah at a cost of Rs34.87 million.