KARACHI, Dec 15: All encroachments from the site of the Quaidabad Flyover have been removed with work on the project expected to takeoff in January 15.

This was stated by the city government's EDO Works, Shoaib Siddiqui, during a review of progress on the projects being executed under the Tameer-i-Karachi Programme.

Besides the Chief Secretary, Aslam Sanjrani, Principal Secretary to Governor Brig Akhtar Zamin, Secretary Planning Syed Anzar Hussain Zaidi, and DCO Karachi Fazlur Rehman were also present.

The Quaidabad Flyover is being sponsored by the Pakistan Steel Mills and will cost about Rs220 million. It is one of the 15 projects worth a total cost of around Rs29 billion, which would be completed by 2007. The federal government would provide some Rs5 billion for the projects, the Sindh and city governments Rs6 billion each, and seven sponsors would arrange a total of Rs12 billon.

The sponsors include the Karachi Port Trust, the Export Processing Zone Authority, the Pakistan Steel Mills, the PIA, the Export Promotion Bureau, State Bank/banks and Five Corps Headquarters.

The projects being financed by the KPT include the Hino Chowk Flyover, Mai Kolach road till the Submarine Roundabout, M.A. Jinnah Road from Keamari to Jinnah Bridge, and MT Khan Road.

The EPZA will bear the expenditures of the road connecting the National Highway to Shahrah-i-Mehran including a bridge on level-crossing, and a road from Shahrah-i-Mehran to Port Qasim.

The Pakistan Steel Mills is said to sponsor the Quaidabad Flyover, link road connecting the National Highway with the Super Highway, while The State Bank of Pakistan has sponsored the rehabilitation of the I.I. Chundrigar Road. Similarly, the EPB and PIA will sponsor a number of projects.