Murad Ali Shah. PHOTO: NNI/FILE
The development came on Thursday when an ADB delegation called on Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The delegation was led by ADB Central West Asian Department Director-General Werner Liepach.
The CM informed the delegation that education, health, water and sanitation, urban transport and road network were some of the top priorities of the Sindh government. He asked the ADB to support the government in its projects related to these areas. "The overall improvement of social sectors is need of hour, therefore we are focusing on it," he said.
Shah maintained that his government intended to install a desalination plant to provide drinking water to people of the provincial capital. He informed the delegation that various water supply schemes were also being planned for other districts of the province. The delegation head assured the CM of technical and financial support. It was agreed that the provincial government through the planning and development department would provide details of the proposed desalination plant, water and drainage schemes to the ADB.
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Planning and Development Board Chairperson Mohammad Waseem said that under the ADB-sponsored improvement programme, six roads had been constructed at a cost of $227.5 million, the total length of which was 328 kilometres. The roads covered Badin, Tando Muhammad Khan, Matiari, Mirpurkhas, Sanghar, Jacobabad, Kashmore and Larkana districts.
The CM informed the delegation that the government had saved Rs38.92 million in the construction of the six roads and had come out with a plan to construct three other roads with cumulative length of 82 km. They included a 32km road from Sehwan Railway Crossing to Dadu via Tilti, 22km road from Chambar to Tando Allahyar and 28km Road from Jehan Khan to Fezu Laro via Chak Town. The delegation agreed to take up the package of the three roads.
The ADB team was informed that some other 20 roads with a total length 847km had been approved and their cost was estimated at Rs41.2 billion. The roads included Mehran Highway from Sui Gas Chowk to Hingorja Stop via Setharja, Mehran Highway between Paca Chang Stop and Bhiria stop, road from Dokri to Radhan via Badah with link to Nasirabad, road between TM Khan and Sujawal via Bulri Shah Karim, road joining Hyderabad and Tando Ghulam Ali via Shaikh Bhirkio, road between Thatta and Jhimpir via Satayoon Buradabad, from Mithi to Deplo, from Talhar to Digri via Tando Bago, from Indus Highway to Rani Kot and others.
The meeting also discussed educational projects. The ADB delegation was informed about the Sindh Secondary Education Improvement Project worth $150 million in which the provincial government intended to share $15 million. The project consists of three components, including access to quality secondary education, enhancement of teaching and learning capacity, and improvement in education system.
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According to Wasim, the project awaited approval by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council. The ADB delegation gave a positive response to the project.
Shah also invited the ADB to fund the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit project. The delegation was informed that the project would start from Model Colony and end at Numaish. The delegation head assigned his team members in the country the task to collect all relevant documents from the provincial government so that the Red Line BRT project could be considered for approval.
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