KARACHI, Oct 13: The city government has divided bridges in the city into three zones identified as dangerous for carrying out its repairs due to their dilapidated conditions.

Under the plan, the bridges have been divided into north, south and central zones by categorising them into two categories - A and B - based on their conditions. According to the EDO Works and Services, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, the plan was based on surveys of the works and services department, conducted in last one month.

He told that all concerned engineers had submitted their reports and repair work was expected to be launched shortly. He further said that a unique thing done in the process was assigning one bridge to one consultant for carrying out consultancy work so that transparency and quality work could be ensured.

The step was taken following directives of the Sindh governor and the city nazim to avoid any mishap due to these bridges. It is worth mentioning that the new exercise was taken up by city government when a portion of the Liaquatabad Flyover sagged last month, mainly because of substandard material used in its construction, as suggested by the city government inquiry findings and laboratory reports.

The bridges needing immediate repairing in category A include the Lilly Road Bridge, Clifton Bridge, Mewashah, PIDC Bridge, Wallace Road, Old Dhobi Ghat, Sher Shah, Love Lane, ICI, Moch Goth, Orangi, Banaras, KCR Natha Khan, Jam Sadiq Bridge, bridge over Orangi Nullah, bridge over Gujar Nullah, bridge over Lyari River near Old Sabzi Mandi, bridge at intersection of Rashid Minhas and Sharea Faisal, and the bridge on Nagan Chowrangi.

The bridges listed in category-B and kept on 2nd priority include the Jinnah Bridge Keamari, Landhi Bridge on Malir River National Highway, Landhi Railway Bridge Quaidabad, Nazimabad No 7 over railway track, bridge over Orangi Nullah at Altaf Hussain Brailvi Road, bridge over Gujar Nullah on Altaf Hussain Brailvi Road, bridge over Lyari Road Sir Shah Suleman Road, Teen Hatti Bridge, Lasbella Bridge, bridge over Gujar Nullah near Ziauddin Hospital, bridge over Lyari River Rashid Minhas Road, bridge over Gujar Nullah Landhi Kotal colony, bridge over Gujar Nullah near Cafe Pyala, bridge over Gujar Nullah Shafiq Moar, and the bridge over Lyari River Yasinabad. - PPI