PHOTO: FILE
The intersections where the flyovers will be constructed include Sakhi Hassan Chowrangi, Five Star Chowrangi and KDA Chowrangi. It is expected that they will be completed by January, 2019.
After the construction of these flyovers, a 15-kilometre (km) signal-free corridor will be formed for general traffic commuting from Abdullah Morr in Surjani Town to Lasbela and vice versa.
The projects will be carried out by the Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDCL), which was formed to manage the federal government's projects in Karachi. The KIDCL is currently working on the Green Line Bus Rapid Transit project that is being constructed from Surjani Town to Municipal Park.
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KIDCL Finance Manager Zubair Ahmed Channa informed Daily Express that the flyovers will be built on both sides of existing flyovers already built for the Green Line buses at three intersections on Sher Shah Suri Road. The new flyovers will run parallel to the existing ones and will be for general traffic, he said.
The flyovers will help resolve the issue of traffic jams at the intersections, he said, adding that all flyovers will consist of three lanes. Channa explained that Sher Shah Suri Road is a dual carriageway road and its width is 200 feet, which includes service roads, storm water drains and the median. The track for Green Line buses has been constructed on the 24 feet wide median of the road. For the construction of the flyovers, 36ft will be taken from both sides of the road.
The tender process for all the three flyovers has already been initiated, Channa said, adding that tenders from 12 construction companies have been received. He claimed that the tenders will be approved soon and the construction of the flyovers will start by the end of the current month.
According to the plan, construction will be completed within 12 months, the finance manager said, adding that the KIDCL, however, wanted to accomplish the task as early as January, 2019.
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The traffic engineering bureau had installed traffic signals a year ago at Five Star Chowrangi, Board Office Chowrangi, Nazimabad No 7 and Lasbela. However, due to the Green Line project, those signals were removed. After the construction of the three flyovers, there will be no need for the traffic signals at the intersection. However, the traffic signals at Lasbela intersection will be operationalised.
A KIDCL engineer maintained that all other intersections on Sher Shah Suri Road between Abdullah Morr and Golimar either had roundabouts, flyovers, underpasses or an interchange due to which the traffic was not regulated by signals. An Interchange at Board Office Chowrangi has been operational since last year, he said, adding that an underpass was also constructed at Nazimabad Chowrangi, Golimar, the same year.
The flyover at Nazimabad Petrol Pump was constructed in 1993, he explained, adding that after the construction of the three flyovers, the 15km road will be signal-free all the way from Abdullah Morr till Lasbela.
Meanwhile, the Centre has also been planning to commence reconstruction of Manghopir Road and Nishtar Road.
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A Rs25 billion development package for Karachi was announced by Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi on August, 12. The construction of the aforementioned flyovers was included in the package at an estimated cost of Rs2.3 billion. The cost of the reconstruction of Manghopir Road from Jam Chakro to Banaras Chowk was estimated at Rs2.4 billion, wherea, Rs1.9 billion was allocated for the reconstruction of roads from Banaras Chowk to Nishtar Road and from Teen Hatti to Napier Road.
Regarding the renovation of Manghopir Road from Jam Chakro to Banaras, Channa said water lines along the road will also be replaced during the reconstruction. He added that tenders for the water lines had been invited and the replacement work will begin next month.
Meanwhile, no major water lines pass along the road connecting Banaras with Nishtar Road and the latter. Tenders for their reconstruction have also been invited, Channa said, adding that work on these roads will begin soon.
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