ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: The chairman of the National Highway Authority, Maj-Gen Farrukh Javed, has said that the Lyari expressway is a gift of the government for the people of Karachi and that its completion will not only help discipline traffic in Karachi but will also enhance the beauty of the city.

Gen Javed was presiding over a high-level meeting of the Authority at its head office here in which various aspects relating to the construction of Karachi northern bypass and Lyari expressway Project were reviewed in detail.

On this occasion Col (retd) Aziz Ul Haq Mirza, member operation has said that the government is committed nearly Rs7bn for providing maximum facilities to the residents of Karachi and for the Kutcha Abdadis and slum dwellers.

He said the Lyari expressway was prepared with great care and after thorough study and its objective was to meet the traffic needs. He added a comprehensive plan has been prepared for the resettlement of the people affected by this project.

Col Aziz said the length of the Lyari expressway was 16.5 km and 4 lanes of this expressway would be completed in three years. He informed that the government had allocated Rs500m for each of these two projects i.e. Lyari expressway and Karachi northern bypass Projects.

The chairman of NHA said, the rapid growth of population and expanding trade activity have necessitated to further extend and improve the road infrastructure in Karachi.

He said, keeping in view the increasing pressure of traffic the government has approved Lyari expressway and Karachi northern bypass Projects.

Gen Javed said that these two projects were of entirely different nature in concept and character and non of them was substitute for the other. He said the present government was attaching due attention to the highway infrastructure and the National Highway Authority would undertake concrete steps to this effect.

He said the Lyari expressway, Karachi northern bypass and Karachi Circular Railway were separate projects and they have their own significance. He said the Lyari expressway project was aimed to ease traffic pressure and to eliminate other multi-faceted civic problems of the city.

He said, the benefits of Karachi northern bypass were however multi dimensional and of national importance.

He further said, the Sindh government, Karachi city management and the elected representatives together with the majority of residents of Karachi were all supporting the two projects and keenly looking forward to their completion.