Desalination plant for DHA gets official nod

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah chaired the 46th meeting of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Policy Board, where several important projects were approved, including the 17-storey NED Science and Technology Park project.

The board gave official nod to the installation of West Karachi Water Recycling Project-I to supply water to industrial estates, a desalination plant to provide water to DHA and surrounding areas, the six-lane Malir Expressway leading to the Kathore Interchange, and an allocation of Rs2 billion for the Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge. The meeting was held at the Chief Minister's House.

NED Science & Tech Park

The CM was told that the NED Science and Technology Park is being established through a Government-to-Government (G2G) arrangement with a Kuwaiti company. He noted that he had already approved Rs1.7 billion as provincial government equity for the project. Following an aeronautical study, the CAA issued an NOC for a building height of 218.3 feet Above Ground Level (AGL) in October 2024.

The CM confirmed that any overhead water tank, neon signboard, antenna, or other rooftop structures would not affect aircraft safety. The CM instructed the PPP Unit to finalise the Concession Agreement by the end of November 2024 and to commence construction. The office spaces in the park will be sub-leased to technology companies, including large multinationals, SMEs, research companies, and startups. The infrastructure will feature an auditorium, innovative workspaces, high-speed connectivity, research labs, tech incubators, cafes, and more.

Malir Expressway Project

The CM was updated that the six-lane Malir Expressway (MEW) would create bottlenecks at the two-lane Kathore Interchange. To mitigate these bottlenecks and operational issues, it is crucial to reconstruct, rehabilitate, and widen the Kathore Interchange to accommodate the increased traffic volumes without delays.