KARACHI  -   Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday approved Rs650 million for construction of flyover at Sunset Boulevard and he visited the area to identify the alternate traffic route so that work could be started on the schemes.

He accompanied by Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem and Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput visited on-going different roads schemes right from Metropole to Port Qasim.

Talking to media he said that he has inspected all the roads constructed so far and the flyover over at Manzil Pump and Underpass at Drigh Road from the experts of the NED University. “I am fully satisfied with the quality of work, but oh yes! I am not satisfied with the pace of work,” he said. He went on saying that the purpose of his visit to push the contractors and concerned engineers to speed up the work. “You have to finish it at the earliest because I am going to launch phase-II of the Karachi Package of Rs12 billion,” he said.

He said that he was quite worried about the growing incidents of attacks on policemen. “But we have identified gang involved in targeted killing [of policemen] and Inshallah you would receive a good news of bursting the gang shortly,” he said.

The chief minister said that the city of Karachi is most beautiful but its beauty has faded away when focus was diverted towards elimination of terrorists, extortionist and target killers. “The government gave special attention to the reconstruction of the infrastructure of the city just after crushing the terrorists,” he said and added “now, the government is focusing on the stability of the peace in the city,” he said.

Earlier, the chief minister started his visit to inspect the under-construction roads and underpass. He started from Metropole where work is yet to be started. On Shahrah-i-Faisal he stopped at Malir section where construction of the road is going on since long. “I want to you [engineers] complete this section of the road- it is causing serious problems for the smooth flow traffic,” he directed the concerned engineer.

When the chief minister crossed the Manzil pump he got down from his vehicle and inspected the work on the footpaths being constructed along the road leading to Thatta. He expressed his displeasure on the slow pace of work and directed the Secretary Works to get it time within next 10 days.

On the national highway at Port Qasim the chief minister asked the concerned engineer why had constructed a wide squarely spread round about at the turning of Port Qasim. They told the chief minister that long vehicles get turning from the roundabout that’s why it has kept wide. The chief minister did not satisfy with the reply and directed the concerned engineer to call people from traffic engineering bureau and get their advice.

The chief minister returned from Port Qasim back to Shahrarh-i-Faisal and opposite STAR gate he inspected under construction storm water drain along the road. He directed Minister Local government to get it done as soon as possible.

On his last leg visit he went to Sunset Boulevard where he stopped and through Google maps he traced on his Ipad marked alternate route for traffic to be diverted with the construction of flyover on Sunset Boulevard for the traffic coming from Submarine Chorwangi and Gizri.

The Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem told the chief minister that the flyover scheme has been approved by him at a cost of Rs650 million. The scheme is approved just the PD Karachi package has to start the scheme.

The chief minister also visited under construction underpass at Submarine Chowrangi where Jam Khan Shoro, the local government minister briefed him about the progress of the work. He told the chief minister that the quality of work has been maintained and the scheme was taking time in completion because of heavy traffic volume the whole day.

The chief minister told the media that the quality of work being carried out by KMC was not good. “I have released all their [KMC] funds allocated for their development schemes, just I would like to urged them to use the funds sagaciously,” he said.