KARACHI, Sept 29: A high-level meeting held here on Thursday stressed on completing the projects of the Tameer-i-Karachi programme on time, asserting that the progress of Karachi was tantamount to the progress of Pakistan.

The meeting of the steering committee of Tameer-i-Karachi programme was held with Sindh Chief Secretary Fazalur Rehman in the chair.

The meeting took stock of various uplift projects funded by the federal, provincial, the city government and other stakeholders including KPT, EPZA, Pakistan Steel, EPB, PIA, PQA, State Bank of Pakistan and Headquarters 5 Corps.

The city government caretaker, Fazalur Rehman gave a briefing to the meeting on these projects and said that they included projects related to roads, flyovers, bridges, underpasses, solid waste management, water supply, sewerage disposal and introducing sweeping machines.

Fifteen of these projects were sponsored by the stakeholders other than the federal, provincial and city governments, the meeting was informed.

Giving further details, he said that the KPT was funding four schemes of Rs1889 million. They included Hino Chowk Flyover, rehabilitation of Mai Kolachi Bypass from Shahrah-i-Romi to Submarine Chowk, rehabilitation of M.T. Khan Road, and rehabilitation of M.A. Jinnah Road from Keamari to Jinnah Bridge.

He said that the three projects funded by the EPZA were the construction of road from National highway to Shahrah-i-Mehran including construction of overhead bridge at rail-crossing, road scheme from Shahrah-i-Mehran to Port Qasim, and corridor between 8000 Road to Shahrah-i-Mehran. These projects were being funded with a cost of Rs438.517.

Regarding two projects worth Rs617 million funded by the Pakistan Steel Mills, the DCO said that they were construction of the Quaidabad Flyover and dualization of the link road between Shahrah-i-Pakistan and National Highway.

The State Bank of Pakistan is funding Rs282 million for the rehabilitation of I.I. Chundrigar Road project, while the PIA is funding Rs312.5 million rehabilitation of University Road scheme, the meeting was told.

The city government caretaker further briefed that the EPB was funding schemes in Landhi-Korangi, North Karachi and Industrial Area of F.B Area belonging to water supply, sewerage disposal and roads, while a schemes of solid waste management was being finalized which would be funded by the Port Qasim Authority.

The meeting also reviewed 34 comprehensive schemes belonging to roads and drainage for various towns of Karachi, which would be completed with a total cost of Rs1621.872 million. It was told that 20 per cent work of Rs439.610 million worth Sohrab Goth Interchange at the intersection of Shahrah-i-Pakistan and Rashid Minhas Road had been completed. This project is comprised of bridge/flyover.—PPI