Open Malir Expressway by Dec: CM

KARACHI:

Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah during his visit to the under-construction Malir Expressway directed the local government department to speed up the work so that one portion of the project from Korangi or Quaidabad could be opened by December.

The CM along with provincial minister Sharjeel Memon, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Special Assistant Syed Qasim Naveed, and Deputy Mayor Salman Murad visited 39.4km under-construction Malir Expressway from Korangi to Kathore.

Karachi Commissioner Iqbal Memon, Sindh Local Government Department (SLGD) Najam Shah, Project Director Niaz Soomro, and Special Secretary Finance Asad Zamin were present at the site.

The Malir Expressway project facility was being developed on the left bank of the Malir River to establish an Access Controlled High-Speed Expressway. It would have a six-lane with three-meter side shoulders dual carriageway. The expressway way had been designed for 100kph speed on the expressway and 50kph on its interchanges. The starting point of the project was Korangi Road, before Jam Sadiq Bridge, it would have an interchange for Jam Sadiq Bridge at KPT Flyover. It would cover Korangi, Shah Faisal Colony (Quaidabad), and would end at Kathore.

The of the Malir Expressway Project Director Niaz Soomro while briefing the chief minister said that there were two parts of the project ­ Jam Sadiq Bridge to Quaidabad ­ where 38 per cent work had been recorded and from Quaidabad to Kathore, where 15 per cent progress had been achieved.

The CM was told that the project had six interchanges and six straight bridges on which work was in progress.

Muradr said that with the completion of the project, the traffic congestion in the city would come down. The project would cut around 40km distance for the traffic coming towards Karachi and going out to Jasmshoro and even to Thatta.

He said that the completion of the project would usher in new vistas of development in Malir, particularly in the areas of Memon Goth and its adjoining areas. During his visit to Malir Expressway, the CM inspected the damaged small dam or weir, RD-1, at Razak Goth, on Malir River.

The Irrigation department has constructed a number of weirs on the Malir River to prevent flooding, measure water flow, and hold water for agricultural and other purposes.

Irrigation Secretary Tamizuddin Khero told the CM that the floods of 2020 had damaged three weirs on the Malir River. He said that the Irrigation Department had prepared a scheme of Rs13 billion to repair and reconstruct these small dams. The proposal was sent to the federal government for approval of funds from Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP).

The CM said that he would arrange the funds for the weirs and directed the secretary of irrigation to submit the scheme to the Planning and Development Department for approval. He said that the weirs were most important for the people living along the embankment of the river.

"We would give water supply schemes to the villages of the areas and the stored water in the weirs could be used for the purpose," he said.

Arrest people dumping debris on roads

CM Murad has directed the district administration and the police of all the districts of Karachi to impound the vehicles, arrest the drivers and contractors if they are found dumping debris or trash along the roads of the city. "This is unacceptable, and I would take strict action against the administration and the police if the debris is found to be dumped along the roads."

He issued these directives to the commissioners during his visit to the city on Sunday morning. He was accompanied by Information Minister Sharjeel Memon, Mayor Wahab, SACM Qasim Naveed, and Deputy Mayor Salman Murad.

CM visited different districts, particularly Korangi and Malir, and found the debris and trash dumped along Korangi Road.

The CM got off his vehicle and called the Deputy Commissioner, the superintendent of police, and the DIG and expressed his displeasure in dumping the debris along the road. The CM directed the Commissioner Karachi to issue directives to all the DCs, DIGs, and SSPS to take strict action against the vehicles, their owners, and the contractors if they were found dumping debris along the roads. "I will not tolerate negligence in the matter," he said and added that his government was spending millions of rupees on cleaning the city and shifting the debris to the landfill site contrary to it people are dumping their trash, construction material and the debris along the roads," he lamented.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, June 19^th, 2023.