Govt completes survey of rain-damaged roads
The city's streets were flooded on Thursday after two days of sporadic rain. PHOTO: EXPRESS
The government has completed a survey of the roads in the metropolitan city damaged during the recent heavy rains, with the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) overseeing repairs on 106 roads, while another 453 roads in various towns will be rehabilitated under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
The Sindh government has set aside a budget of Rs25 billion for the repair and rehabilitation of the city's battered roads. The repair work will be carried out under the auspices of the World Bank-funded Local Government Department's Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) project.
A spokesperson for Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi said that a meeting recently discussed the progress of the repair work. Participants were told that the repair and rehabilitation efforts will commence shortly, with specific plans outlined for each district.
According to the spokesperson, the repairs will cover the following districts: 138 roads in District East, 50 in District Central, 27 in District South, 15 in Korangi, 93 in Malir, and 27 in District Kemari.
The meeting also focused on the condition of traffic signals on key routes such as I I Chundrigar Road and Maripur Road. It was decided that plans would be drawn up for the beautification of both roads, aiming to enhance the aesthetic and functional appeal of these critical arteries.
As part of the traffic infrastructure upgrades, the Transport Department will undertake the upgrading of 45 existing traffic signals and install 31 new ones. These improvements are expected to help ease traffic flow and improve overall road safety across the city.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of the highly anticipated Red Line and Yellow Line transport projects. These initiatives are key to improving public transport and alleviating congestion in Karachi. Authorities reported that work on the diversion project at University Road, near Urdu College, is nearing completion. This road diversion, which spans 2.7km, has been planned in accordance with the directives of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The proposal for this diversion has already been submitted to the government for final approval.
The commissioner, during the meeting, stressed the importance of integrated planning and mutual coordination among the concerned authorities to ensure that the rehabilitation projects are executed efficiently and without duplication of efforts.