THATTA, Aug 26: Sindh Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim laid the foundation stone of the 278.6-km Coastal Highway near Bh-ambhore on Sunday.
“While launching our election campaign from Thatta district, we preferred to meet Thatta population not empty handed but with a gigantic gift. The PML leadership is proud to be here with the gift of the coastal highway which will guarantee a prosperous future of our coming generations, Arbab Rahim announced.
Addressing a sizeable crowd which gathered on the occasion, Dr Rahim said that the multi-purpose coastal highway, besides extending maximum transport facilities to the coastal population of Thatta and Badin, would also partly benefit the residents of district Tharparkar and prove to be a major bulwark against oceanic tides and catastrophes in the coastline.
He said the 90-kilometre long phase-I of the highway, to be completed at a cost of Rs2407 million within next three years from Dhabeji to Keti Bunder, would benefit some 0.9 million population settled in 62 villages as well as the population of towns around the area.
He contended that approximately 4700 unemployed youth of the area would be employed and the construction would open other avenues of livelihood for the people.
The chief minister disclosed that construction of a link highway as an alternate to Super Highway had begun from Karachi to Tando Mohammad Khan via Malir, Memon Goth, Darsano Chhano, Jhampir and Keenjhar.
Its construction would definitely benefit the people of these areas and save their time, energy and money. Two more highways-one from Umerkot to Zero Point in district Badin and an other from Nooriabad to Dadu via Katchat, Johi near Gorakh Hill--- were being constructed which would attract visitors to the resorts, he said.
Later, addressing a public meeting at police line ground, Makli, the chief minister announced regularisation of 75 villages located at Makli and declared to restore their previous status under Goth Abad Scheme.
The chief minister was told that during the tenure of former prime minister Mohammad Khan Junejo, the residents of these villages were allotted these plots in these villages under Goth Abad Scheme but later a deputy commissioner, due to his vested interests, had cancelled the “Sanads” (ownership deeds) of these plots. The chief minister ordered to restore the status of all the sanads and regularise the entire plots in these 75 Makli villages forthwith.
The chief minister appreciated the services of the Shirazi brothers and said that they earned respect and popularity only due to their untiring services to everyone in the district.
Dr Rahim said plans to construct a number of smaller dams in hilly terrain of Thatta district were also under consideration.
He said his government was also studying construction of 500 cemented tributaries to avert unnecessary wastage of irrigation water.
The chief minister announced regularization of the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation (STDC) employees, besides raising status of Army Pubic School Makli to cadet college.
The District Nazim of Thatta, Syed Shafqat Hussain Shah Shirazi, adviser to chief minister on forest, Syed Aijaz Ali Shah Shirazi, Nuzhat Pathan, acting general secretary PML senator Ghaffar Qureshi, minister for state, Mohammad Ali Malkani and others also spoke on the occasion.
Earlier, the chief minister was accorded a warm welcome and brought in a motorcade from Gaggak Phatak to Thatta.