Dug-up Karimabad area finally gets 'attention'

The electricity, water and gas lines issues of the people living around the under-construction Karimabad underpass project will resolved, assured the town planning minister during his visit to the dug up project which is progressing at a snail's pace.

Minister for Local Government, Housing and Town Planning, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, along with Labour Minister Saeed Ghani inspected the Karimabad Underpass in District Central on Sunday after inaugurating the rehabilitation of Amir Khusro Road and adjoining streets.

The visit follows a feature published in The Express Tribune on Saturday, October 11 titled 'Still under-construction: Karimabad Underpass continues to irk locals' which highlighted the sufferings of the residents of the area due to the long-delayed project.

Speaking to the media, Nasir Shah said all political stakeholders must work together to make Karachi a vibrant and livable city, stressing that the Sindh government is ready to collaborate with all elected representatives, regardless of party affiliation.

He said Sindh remains deprived of its fair financial share from the federation, even though Karachi contributes 60-70% of the national revenue. "The federal government announces projects for Sindh but rarely releases the funds. This discrimination must end," he remarked.

Referring to ongoing development work, the minister said utility-related delays had affected the Karimabad project but assured residents that water, gas, and power issues would soon be resolved. He added that quality and timely completion of projects are being ensured through regular inspections.

On the Red Line Transit Project, he said Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon has taken strict notice of damaged surrounding roads and ordered immediate repair work.

Nasir Shah reiterated that the government will show zero tolerance toward illegal constructions and water theft, ensuring transparency in urban management.

He also praised the Corps Commander Karachi and other authorities for their cooperation on the Shahrah-e-Bhutto Phase-II project, which he said will ease traffic flow and benefit thousands of commuters.

"If all parties work together, Karachi can truly become a modern and beautiful metropolis," he added.

The ceremony was attended by senior officials, including Secretary Local Government Iqbal Sandh, Chairman Jinnah Town Rizwan Sami, Project Director CLICK Ayesha Hameed, and others.