Bridge completion within a week ordered

Caretaker CM directs LEAs to ensure security of workers, engineers

KARACHI:

Caretaker Chief Minister of Sindh Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar has directed the Works and Services Department to resume the suspended work on the Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge within a week and instructed law enforcement agencies to provide security to the crew working there.

Construction of the four-lane Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge over the Indus River was suspended in June following kidnapping of three workers by dacoits operating in the nearby riverine area.

The CM issued directives to resume work while presiding over a meeting of the Works & Service Department which was held to review the progress of ongoing uplift schemes, at the CM House.

The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Dr Fakhre Alam, Planning and Development Chairman Shakil Maqnejo, PSCM Agha Wasif, Finance Secretary Kazim Jatoi, Works Secretary Nawaz Sohoo, and other officers concerned.

Sohoo told the CM that Rs33.995 billion four-lane Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge project was launched under public-private partnership (PPP). Total length of the project is 25km while the actual bridge is 1.2 km long over the Indus River.

The CM was told that the 18.7km approach roads to the bridge have been completed. Sohoo added that the construction of Thull Link Road connecting N-55 to Thull Road has also been completed by 95 per cent and now the work has been suspended temporarily due to the law and order issue.

The CM expressing his displeasure on the stoppage of the work said that it would not only escalate the cost of the project but cause inconvenience for the people of the area and on top of it the project would lose its purpose of initiating.

Justice Baqar directed the chief secretary to ensure the security of workers engaged there, and get the suspended work started again within a week and report him.

JI delegation meets CM

A delegation of Jamaat-e-Islami led by its Karachi Ameer Hafiz Naeemur Rehman called on the CM and discussed the issues relted to the local bodies, water board, and illegal constructions in the city.

Besides Hafiz Naeem, the delegation also included Monem Zafar, Saifuddin, Saleem Azhar, Sadruddin, and Zahid Askari.

Hafiz Naeem said that the transition period of newly elected local bodies has come to an end officially but even then, the elected bodies have not been given power to function in the public interest.

At this, the chief minister said that he was taking necessary measures to strengthen local bodies all over the province. "We are strengthening them so that they can work in the larger interest of the people," he said.

Complaining against KE, Hafiz Naeem said that neither they have controlled power theft nor made investments to improve the generation and distribution system. At this, the CM said that he held a meeting with the KE authorities on Monday and urged them to improve their system.

Justice Baqar told the JI delegation that he had activated the Complaint Cell, 919 in the CM House and it would be receiving public complaints which he would resolve personally. The cell has two phone numbers: 99207568 and 99207349 on which the complaints can be registered.

 

Published in The Express Tribune, September 13^th, 2023.