The proposed expressway is 38 kilometres long. PHOTO: ONLINE/FILE
The decision to construct the expressway was made during a meeting at CM House on Friday. The meeting was attended by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Planning and Development Board Chairperson Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput and others.
"It will be a four-lane expressway along the Malir River starting from Hino Chowk and ending at the Super Highway (M-9) near Kathore. The length of the project will be 38 kilometres," said the LG minister. The project, named the Malir Expressway, will be launched under public-private partnership mode.
Karachi, being a city of large population, many industrial areas and ports, needed major expressway and roads, the CM said, adding that the city was still attracting people from all over the country due to employment opportunities. Shah pointed out that population growth in the city had resulted in an increase in vehicular traffic giving rise to traffic jams, pollution and accidents.
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According to the CM, the project's main objective is to construct a strategic expressway to share the increased traffic in the north of Karachi.
The meeting approved the project and directed the public-private partnership unit to initiate the process to invite expressions of interest in the project.
Safari Park
The Karachi Theme and Safari Park was another project which was discussed in the meeting. The CM was informed that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had received an unsolicited proposal for the development of a Karachi Theme and Safari Park at the existing facility of Safari Park. The project was proposed under the build-operate-transfer model.
The meeting was informed that the proposed park would be a state-of-the-art theme park which would include a rides area with 25 rides, family entertainment centre with a food court, kids area and 3D rides.
According to the proposal, the existing safari ride at the park would be revamped and an additional 78 animals would be procured and placed in a free environment. During the safari ride, visitors could observe those animals in their natural habitat.
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The meeting decided to send the project to the local government department for technical committee evaluation.
Hyderabad Rani Bagh
Shoro also brought up the proposed renovation of Rani Bagh, Hyderabad's zoological garden, during the meeting. He said that his department had conceived the project for restructuring, upgrading and redesigning Rani Bagh by turning it into a modern recreational facility.
He informed the meeting that the existing zoo spread over an area of around six acres. Various animals and birds had been kept at the zoo, he said, adding that the zoo, however, was not properly maintained.
The minister said that due to the zoo's unsatisfactory condition, it was no longer a preferred destination for visitors. He added that, according to the new plan, the zoo would be redesigned by introducing gardens, promenades, an open-air cinema, food outlets and a play area for children on public-private partnership mode.
The chief minister directed the LG department to also send this proposal to the technical committee for assessment.
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