KARACHI, Oct 30: The government has decided to rid the much-delayed Lyari Expressway project of the various bottlenecks that has impeded its progress and complete its remaining 5.5-kilometre section within a year, besides initiating work on the Shershah Bridge on Northern Bypass next month.

The decision was made in a meeting, chaired by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, at the Governor House here on Thursday.

The meeting took stock of inordinate delays in the execution of the project and noted that the masses would suffer if the project was further delayed.

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal told the meeting that the city government would ensure the right of way to the National Highway Authority (NHA) for completing the remaining 5.5-km section of the project within six months, if the federal government provided the promised funds in this regard.

The governor assured his all-out support regarding the provision of funds from the federal government.

The secretary of NHA assured the meeting that his organisation would complete the remaining work within six months after getting the right of way.

He said the reconstruction of the collapsed Shershah Bridge of Northern Bypass Karachi would be initiated next month.

He said the reconstruction would be carried out according to the new design and the previous structural faults in the project would be completely removed.

He asked for installation of streetlights on the south-bound carriageway of the Lyari Expressway to facilitate commuters.

He said that in order to encourage people to use the Lyari Expressway it was necessary that toll tax on it be withdrawn.

The nazim said that the city government was ready to pay the toll tax to the government so that the people of Karachi could be facilitated.—PPI