Ring Road planned to connect port with Malir Expressway: CM

Industrialists suggest construction of an alternate bridge to reduce dependence on Native Jetty bridge

KARACHI:

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah in a meeting with a delegation of Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce & Industry (FPCCI), led by its President Atif Shaikh, announced the construction of Ring Road facilitating freight traffic and outlining the boundaries of peripheral growth.

"The purpose of the meeting was to interact with industrialists, listen to their grievances, and seek their proposals for industrial growth by developing new economic zones and infrastructural facilities," Murad said adding that the FPCCI has proposed the construction of an alternate bridge to reduce dependence on Native Jetty bridge.

"We are going to constitute a group to take industrialists on board to facilitate them to establish industrial units by providing them security, and necessary facilities."

A 15-member delegation of the FPCCI called on the chief minister at the CM House on Friday. Minister Industries Jam Ikram Dharejo, Minister Labour Shahid Thahim, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, Secretary Industries, Secretary Labour, Chairman SRB Asif Memon and other concerned officers were also present in the meeting.

Murad said, "Work on Malir Expressway is going on at the fast track and after its opening another Expressway from Port to Korangi would be constructed to make the entire segment a Ring Road.

Street Crime

The FPCCI team told the CM that street crime was creating problems, particularly in the industrial areas. The CM said that his government has taken strict measures and made the SHOs of the area responsible for any crime.

Talking about the measures to deal with repeat criminals, the CM said a mechanism has been developed under which the repeat criminals would wear a compulsory non-detachable GPS band to monitor their movement.

New Economic Zone

The FPCCI members complained that the development of Dhabeji Economic Zone's was slow, and the prices of plots were high. The CM said that he was not happy with the pace of works and would call a meeting to fix the problem. "As far as the price of the plot is concerned, we would look into it and may evolve a strategy to facilitate the industrialists, buying the land," Murad said.

Murad told the industrialists that his government was establishing two more economic zones in Karachi and Larkana. The SITE Sukkur is being expanded. "We would offer security, all the facilities and other incentives to the industrialists interested in investing in the economic zone in the rural areas," he said.

Lyari Expressway

The FPCCI member also complained that heavy traffic was not being allowed on the Lyari Expressway (LEW), therefore, LEW remained under-utilised and on top of it failed to serve the purpose.

The CM told the FPCCI members that he has taken up the matter with the National Highway Authority. "I have offered NHA to hand over the repair, maintenance and operations of the Lyari Expressway to the Sindh government and keep collecting the toll for which the provincial government would not claim," he mentioned and hoped that the matter would be resolved soon.

Gas & power

The FPCCI member complained about the acute gas shortage, saying, they are using wood and bagasse to meet the gas shortage. They said that the industrial gas rates have been increased exorbitantly similar to the rise in the electricity tariff.

They said that industrial production at such high power and gas rates was not feasible commercially. The CM assured them that he would talk to the federal government.

Custom Desk

The FPCCI told the CM that the industries have to travel to Hyderabad or Karachi for cargo clearance and trade facilitations. They requested the chief minister to help them establish Customs Desks at Sukkur and Larkana. The CM assured the FPCCI members that he would talk to the federal government to facilitate them in their respective districts/areas.

The chief minister on the FPCCI representatives' request directed the Minister Industries Jam Ikramullah Dharejo to form and activate a liaison committee with the industrialists in which a DIG police would also be inducted so that the police-related issues of the industrialists could be resolved easily.

Murad directed Minister Labour Shahid Thahim and Minister Industries Ikram Dharejo to develop close coordination with the FPCCI so that their issues could be resolved the soonest.

Published in The Express Tribune, May 25^th, 2024.