CM seeks WB funding to fix city’s roads, drains

Discussing a $143.9 million development portfolio - including projects worth $35.1 million for Karachi - with the World Bank (WB) country director, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah requested him to support the provincial government in reconstructing the provincial capital's infrastructure after monsoon rains devastated the city.

In a video-link meeting with WB country director, Najy Benhassine, the CM apprised him that Karachi had received over 250 millimetres of rain in a single day, destroying the city's road network.

"Our government has decided to reconstruct the damaged road network and line all stormwater drains after removing encroachments along the nullahs," he claimed.

Shah further stated that he had visited four other districts that had been lashed by the heavy downpours - Mirpurkhas, Umerkot, Sanghar and Badin - adding that the standing crops had been destroyed and dozens of houses washed away by the rainwater.

The WB country chief assured the CM he would work out a plan to finance the restoration of Karachi's infrastructure, including the construction of stormwater drains.

He further advised Shah to have the planning and development chairperson coordinate with the WB team and submit a proposal, along with other necessary documents.

Currently, projects funded by the WB worth $608.8 are in progress.

Furthermore, at present, four WB-funded projects are in progress in the port city.

The Karachi Neighbourhood project, of $25.3 million, has been 29 per cent completed, while the Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement project of $1.1 million, the Karachi Mobility project of $4 million, and the Competitive and Livable City of Karachi project of $4.8 million were all recently initiated.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 3^rd, 2020.