KARACHI, Nov 24: Contrary to the claims of the City Government’s works department that they have completed work on city’s major roads, several main thoroughfares are still in a shabby condition.

The roads, which are in a poor condition, include Sharea Ibne Sina (from Liaquatabad No 10 to Gujjar Nullah), Nishtar Road, a major portion of Mauripur Road, Mehran Highway, Liaquat Flyover’s at-grade Road, Sharea Liaquat (from Fresco Chowk to Govt Women College), Sindhi Muslim Housing Society’s roundabout, Abyssinia Road, parts of University Road, main Orangi Road.

Though work pertaining to repair and recarpeting of Nishtar Road, Sharea Ibne Sina, Mauripur Road, Mehran Highway etc had recently been initiated by the City Government, work on these roads was still continuing.

Some other major thoroughfares, including Sharea Liaquat, SMHC’s roundabout, Abyssinia Road are yet to attract the attention of town councils and the city government. They are in such a bad condition that have become unroadworthy.

It was amazing to hear from the city government’s works department that repair and carpeting of Nishtar Road had been completed although the reconstruction of the 1.22 kilometre long ruined portion of the road (from Tin Hatti to Lasbela intersections) was inaugurated by the City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan on Oct 24, and is scheduled to be reconstructed by July 22, 2002.

As far as Sharea Liaquat (from Fresco Chowk to Government Women College) is concerned, it has completely been ruined following KWSB staff dug it up to replace the pipeline.

Though pipeline replacement work has been expeditiously carried out, no one has, so far, bothered to undertake repairing of the road, causing immense hardships to motorists on this devastated and highly encroached upon road.

Since a major portion of Mohammad Bin Qasim Road i.e. from Fresco Chowk to M. A. Jinnah Road has been closed for vehicular traffic during evening hours since first of Ramazan, the motorists proceeding towards Saddar and M.A. Jinnah Road via Fresco Chowk, have no choice but to pass through the ruined portion of Sharea Liaquat from where piles of earth have not yet been removed.

As a large number of eateries are situated on Sharea Liaquat, one could see people taking food in an extremely polluted and unhygienic atmosphere.

However, the city government’s works department on Friday claimed through a handout that it had completed repair and recarpeting of the city’s major and main roads while work on other roads is continuing.

According to the handout, the roads whose repair and carpeting has been completed are Sher Shah, Nishtar, Mauripur, Grex Village, Rashid Minhas (Service Road), Baldia Town, Rasheedabad, M. A. Jinnah (extension), Mauripur, Mehran Highway, Qatar Hospital to Orangi Road, Aisha Manzil roundabout, ICI bridge to Gulbai Road, Korangi’s 8000 and 12000 roads, North Nazimabad’s Board Office roundabout, North Nazimabad’s Water pump roundabout, Orangi’s Shah Waliullah Road.

However, independent sources said though repair and recarpeting of Aisha Manzil and Board office roundabouts had been completed, work on other major roads was still going on and it would take some more time to complete the entire repair work.