KARACHI:Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday decided to construct a box drainage channel below the crossing of Green Line at three locations that are Nagin Chowrangi and at two spots of Hyderi Markets, at the cost of Rs 400 million, for smooth discharge of rainwater.
The CM Sindh made this decision while presiding over a meeting of Provincial Coordination & Implementation Committee (PCIC), at the CM’s House here, said a spokesperson of the CM Sindh.
The participants were told that infrastructure of Green Line till Numaish Chowrangi would be completed by this August 30, and buses would reach here from China by August 10 while the project would start operation by October 10.
The meeting was attended by Sindh ministers, Nasir Shah, Avais Qadir Shah, provincial Advisor on Law Murtaza Wahab, Corps Commander Karachi Lt. General Nadeem Anjum, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah, GOC Malir Maj General Omer Maqbool, Chairperson P&D Shireen Narejo, PSCM Sajid Jamal Abro, Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh, Additional Secretary Ministry of Planning Aziz Uqaili, Secretary Transport Shariq Ahmed, Administrator KMC Laiq Ahmed, MD Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Asadullah Khan, MD SSWMB Zubair Channa, VC NED Dr Sarosh Lodhi, Brig Waqar of FWO, Brig Fawad Masud of NLC, Brig Yasir Elahi of PCIC and others. Chairman NDMA Lt Gen Akhter Nawaz attended the meeting through video link.
Karachi Circular Railways (KCR) and BRTs, anti-encroachment drive progress, nullah rehabilitation progress, disaster management plan were among the points on the agenda of meeting.
The transport department told the meeting that the FWO had conducted a survey for detailed design, and estimated cost for flyover and underpasses along the KCR route.
According to the PC-1, three elevated structures would be constructed in the phase-1 at a cost of Rs 4.9 billion. Elevated structures over an area of 6.4 kilometers would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs 11.508 billion.
The chief minister said that he had committed to provide Rs 6 billion which would be provided by his government as per the timeline of the railway authorities.
Project Director KCR Ameer Daudpota told the meeting that there were some issues which needed to be resolved before starting the work.
The chief minister said he would chair a meeting of KCR and Transport department and city administration on Monday to resolve all the KCR issues so that work could be started on the proposed project as per supreme court order.
The meeting was told that the Sindh government project, Orange line, was 3.88 kilometers, including four stations and one bus terminal. The infrastructure of the project would be completed by the end of next month.
The Sindh transport department has released Rs 2.120 billion to SIDCL for procurement of 20 buses and Rs 587,194,113 regarding operationalization of the BRT. The buses would reach from China in December 2021.
The meeting was told that the BRT Red Line was Pakistan’s first mass transit system with zero carbon emission due to the biogas component. All its 912 vehicles would operate in direct feeder and trunk routes to travel along the corridor. A state-of-art biogas plant would be installed near Bhains Colony.
The meeting was told that the supervision consultant of the project has been selected. The civil contractor was being finalized and then financial bid opening would be made.
Yellow Line is another provincial government project of Rs 61.436 billion in which World Bank share is Rs 53.540 billion, Sindh government to provide Rs 2.654 billion and private sector to lend Rs 5.250 billion.
It would be developed primarily along Korangi and its industrial road connecting the city’s South-Eastern suburbs, South and Central districts.
It is a 21-km project starting from Dawood Chowrangi to Numaish Chowrangi, having two flyovers, nine underpasses, one U-turn and 28 stations.
Its route would have a motorbike track on both sides expecting around 300,000 ridership per day and 268 diesel hybrid buses would ply on the route.
The meeting was told that the final contract was being finalized in consultation with the World Bank just after Eid-ul-Adha.
The participants were told that almost all the major nullas, Mehmoodabad, Gujjar and Orangi have been cleaned and walls along their embankments were being constructed.
Commissioner Karachi Naveed Shaikh briefing the meeting about anti-encroachment drive along the embankments of Nullahs, said that 5134 units have been removed, including 238 units from Mahmoodabad Nullah, 3290 Gujjar Nullah, 416 Orangi Nullah (Central), 1001 units Orangi Nullah (West), and 189 units Orangi Nullah (Keamari district).
It was pointed out that Rs 823.340 million have been released for paying compensation to the affected people, of them Rs 545.737 million has been disbursed and the remaining amount of Rs 277.603 million would be given to the affected persons after completion of necessary formalities.
The meeting was told that 1169 shops and 47 houses have been constructed on the 7000 Road Nullah at new Karachi. These establishments spread over 6.5 kilometers.
On a query the DC Central told the meeting that he has issued notice to the occupant. At this the chief minister said that his government would give plots to the 47 house owners.
The chief minister directed the chief secretary to keep monitoring the progress of on-going development works along the nullahs and report to him.