KARACHI - The 12th Public-Private Partnership Policy Board in its meeting made historical decisions about the mega development projects to be implemented under the PPP mode of investment in transport, health, livestock communication and social development sectors.
The meeting was held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah at the CM House here on Thursday.
The board accorded permission for development and launching of the mega bus terminal on 100 acres of land located at Northern Bypass – 3-km from main Super Highway - to meet the future demand of 2,000 intercity buses.
The board also accorded same approval for construction of various terminals in Karachi and Hyderabad including the construction of an underground parking plaza under Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim Clifton. It also gave go-ahead signal to the BRTS proposal received by the KMC from Bahria Town management to launch Blue Line Bus corridor from Bahria Town to Sohrab Goth and to Tower (40-km) and from Super Highway Northern Bypass to Karachi Airport (12-km) with its own investment.
The board approved the project for launching of Intercity Bus projects on nine potential routes of Karachi. Similarly, it approved another project from launching four driving schools each at Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur and Larkana.
In addition to that, the board also considered the energy related project and decided for establishment of Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company on the pattern of NTDC to create capacity for distributing the power.
It also expressed satisfaction over the working on the Nooriabad Power Company to generate 100MW and recommended for early issuance of license from Nepra. The board after threadbare discussion agreed with the proposal of Health Department for procuring services of private partners for RHC/THC/DHQ and other hospitals for improving infrastructure and delivery of health services to the people.
It was informed that eight big hospital managements including Agha Khan Hospital, Indus Hospital and others have expressed interest to deliver their services. It directed the Sindh Education and Literacy Department to conduct feasibility study as well as private partner solicitation for the education management organisation to improve the quality of education in selected schools by outsourcing the management of public sector schools to reputable education organisations.
It also approved the PDF funding and project development studies for Qadirpur Kandhkot bridge project, mangoes and agriculture produce market project, imported coal power project, liquid natural gas (LNG) import project and the Sindh Education reform initiative.
Special Education public-private partnership projects management contract for Keenjhar Lake huts, improvement of facilities and infrastructure at Gorakh Hills Project, Hawksbay Road under Lyari development authority and LDA and Tidal energy project along the Sindh Coast.
Addressing the meeting, Sindh Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah said to carry out development for the welfare of the common men through PPP mode of investment was an innovative and successful idea of PPP leadership.
Placing the example of Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas dual carriageway construction under the PPP mode of investment, the CM said they were implementing another project of Jhirk-Mula Katiar Bridge and were planning to launch construction of Karachi to Thatta and Hyderabad to Tando Muhammad Khan roads under this mode of development. He said the Sindh government would encourage the partner organisations to boost up the development process in the province.
Qaim constituted a committee for rationalising the toll tax and its recovery strategy and directed for submitting the report by next Monday.
Similarly, he also asked the management of the KMC to conduct the study through Nespak consultants to resolve the problem for the BRTS – Yellow line which is created because of the construction of building on its turn at the route of Shahrah-e-Faisal to Shahrah-e-Quaideen.