KARACHI, April 13: The municipal administration of Lyari Town has not, so far, received any grant-in-aid from provincial or city government to undertake development works in the town, it is learnt here.

A town official conceded that development activity in the locality is being affected because of paucity of funds. The town could not generate sufficient funds from its own sources, as its commercial areas such as Lea Market, Timber market, Kajoor Bazar etc were now parts of Saddar Town.

Under the new local government system, the town mainly comprises of residential areas, mostly populated by low-income groups. The 200-year-old infrastructure of the town, which was built by British rulers, which had already become insufficient for a growing population, almost collapsed during the last monsoons, even drew the attention of President Pervez Musharraf, who was briefed by the city nazim in this regard.

The nazim informed the president that paucity of funds was mainly hampering the development activity in the area. The president told the nazim to prepare a development plan for the town, besides an estimate of its financial needs.

As desired by the president, the town administration has finalized a list of uplift schemes, needing immediate funding. The schemes, which would cost Rs360.321 million to improve the existing municipal infrastructure of the town, included 26 road improvement and street uplift schemes, which were estimated to cost Rs219.370 million, the official said.

Apart from that, Rs28.951 million were needed for development of 22 parks and playgrounds, Rs42.500 million for lights on streets and roads, and Rs69.500 million for garbage vehicles.

The PC-1 of these duly-approved schemes had been sent to the Sindh government, through the city government, for releasing the funds required for execution of these projects.

The nazim suggested that these development works be monitored by the town administration. The official said that no fund had yet been received for the execution of these projects.