Committee formed: DHA, Clifton, military land issues to be tackled

DHA is working on planning and construction of Malir expressway linking DHA City to the centre and industrial areas.

KARACHI: A committee has been formed to work on problems between the Defence Housing Authority, the Clifton Cantonment Board and Military Lands & Cantonment departments. It will work under the president of the DHA executive board.

This was discussed at the annual meeting of the Defence Housing Authority governing body chaired on Monday by chairman Defence Secretary Lt Gen (retd) Syed Athar Ali at the Headquarters 5 Corps. Commander 5 Corps Lt Gen Zahir-ul-Islam attended.

DHA is working on planning and construction of the Malir expressway linking DHA City to the centre and industrial areas to provide the fastest and shortest possible access from these areas to the Super Highway and reduce inner city congestion. The expressway is already part of the Karachi Mass Transit Plan 2030. It is being sponsorsed by DHA and the city government.

The governing body was unhappy that the Cogen power and desalination plant in DHA had not been working since May 2010.

It noted that while DHA had laid a drainage system in the aftermath of monsoon rains of 2007 some portions (Phase IV and partially Phase VII) were left undone because the money ran out.

The governing board approved of DHA’s budget for 2010-11 worth Rs7.69 billion with Rs4.66 billion (60 per cent) earmarked for development.

The focus will be on the completion of infrastructure development for Phase VIII (Sector C and E-8). press release

Published in The Express Tribune, January 18^th, 2011.