Sindh govt has included 14 mega projects for Karachi this year, says official

Projects include four flyovers along with construction of roads and water drains

KARACHI: The Sindh government has allocated Rs8 billion for 14 mega development projects in Karachi in its 2017-18 budget. The projects include four flyovers along with roads, water drains and improvement of infrastructure.

Local Government Department Project Director Niaz Soomro said this  on Sunday while talking to the media.



"Roads leading to the Cantonment Railway Station will be rebuilt with a drainage system on modern lines. Roundabouts and roads from Kandawala Building on MA Jinnah Road to Garden will also be remodeled," Soomro informed the media, adding that modification and reconstruction of Zaibunnisa Street and Abdullah Haroon Road will also be undertaken.

"The ICI Bridge Intersection will be expanded with the installation of signals. Tipu Sultan Road will be reconstructed, while roads connecting the National Stadium to the New Town police station and Millennium Mall will also be widened," the project director revealed.

Soomro added that two flyovers will be constructed at the intersections of Shaheed-e-Millat Road and Tipu Sultan Road and Khalid Bin Waleed Road in order to provide signal-free access to commuters from Baloch Colony Flyover to the Jail Road Bridge.



"A bridge will be constructed at Lea Market to decrease the traffic load. A flyover is also planned on Sunset Boulevard on Korangi Road as well," he maintained.

The projector director informed the media that the roads alongside Korangi Nullah, Lyari River near Hassan Square, Chakora Nullah near Star Gate and the nullah near Habib Bank Chowrangi will also be repaired. Water pipelines will also be shifted from these locations, he added.

Under the Karachi Mega City Project 2016-17, the Sindh government started 15 development projects worth Rs9.58 billion. Around Rs6.2 billion has so far been utilised on these projects. Ten projects have been completed, while work on the remaining projects will be completed by July, 2017, Soomro said, adding that work on the Submarine Chowrangi Underpass will be completed by November this year.



With the assistance of the Malir Cantonment Authority, a 200 feet-wide road will be constructed from Malir Cantt Gate 2 to the Super Highway via Memon Goth. The project will cost Rs350 million, he added. He also informed that efforts would be made to make Sharae Faisal into a model road.

The project director also clarified that the local government department had no role in the projects proposed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) being not approved for the new fiscal year. "The planning and development department should be held responsible for the non-approval of development projects presented by the KMC and the KDA," he maintained.