KARACHI, Aug 25: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan on Thursday instructed the authorities to transfer land along the Northern Bypass to the city government so that it could carry out its comprehensive master planning.

Presiding over a meeting, he directed that up to 300 meters of land on both sides of the bypass be kept free from encroachments, besides allocating land for wholesale markets.

The meeting reviewed the progress of work in connection with the master planning on both sides of the Northern Bypass and the new truck stand.

The governor said by the time the bypass is completed, at least parking area in the new truck stand be completed for use by transporters. In this regard, he issued directives for completion of initial work on the establishment of the new truck stand.

The markets to be set up included an iron market, a timber market and a grain market.

This would help reduce traffic congestion in the city and people would heave a sigh of relief with the completion of work on Lyari Expressway and Northern Bypass, the governor observed.

He also called for allocating land for car showrooms and big wholesale centres near the bypass.

The meeting was informed that with the establishment of new truck stand, all trucking activity from Hawkesbay area would be fully shifted. The new stand would be equipped with modern facilities. There will also be arrangements for housing, educational and health facilities nearest to the site for the workers involved in trucking business.

The new truck stand would be spread over 500 acres having four parking blocks of 97.88 acres where 2736 trucks could be parked.

The labour colony will have 1,308 plots of 80 square yards and four commercial blocks where 2,856 offices and warehouses can be constructed.

Besides, 66 wholesale shops, 23 auto-shops and workshops, seven petrol pumps, two service stations, 66 banks, 46 small restaurants and nine hotels would also be set up.

The amenity plots in the truck stand would have 140 utility offices, one bus stop, three car parking blocks, eight mosques, one primary school, one playground, five parks, four public toilets, one hospital, one grid station and a telephone exchange.

The governor issued directives for maintaining wide roads besides setting up of post office and police station.

He instructed that a definite time-frame be chalked out to complete the work on the new truck stand.—APP