KARACHI   -  Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that Karachi has been given top priority in development regime and 365 schemes of Rs 218.6 billion have been launched against which allocation of Rs53 billion has been made in ADP 2018-19.

This he said on Wednesday while presiding over a meeting to review progress of ongoing development schemes. The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Saeed Ghani, Chief Secretary Mumtaz Shah and others.

“Out of 365 schemes, 16 mega projects for the city have been completed in 2016-17 while 17 other mega projects were near completion.”

The projects which have been completed for Rs6638.815 billion include upgradation of  Pipri Filter Plant, Drig Colony Flyover, Manzil Pump Flyover, construction of Khairpur Twon to Link Road, University road, Tariq Road, Mosamyat Road, Hub River Road, Surjani to Madinatul Hikmat Road, widening of Shahrah-e-Faisal, redodeling of Baloch Colony Flyover, Storm water drain from Jinnah Terminal to Chakora Nala to Natha Khan bridge, Bridge at Intersection of Sunset Boulevard and gizri Boulevard and construction Storm water Drain from Hassan Square to Lyari River. Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem told the meeting that 40 schemes of Rs128441.255 million have been launched through ADP of 2018-19 and this year’s allocation isRs34476.292 million.  

These forty schemes include conversion of existing schools in model schools, construction of education complex, completion of college buildings, establishment of SZAB law University, Bilawal Bhutto engineering College Lyari, SZB Engineering College Memon Goth, Establishment of  Sindh Institutute of Traumatology, Orthopedics at NIPA, forensic lab, 34 courts at Korangi, rehabilitation of Karachi Fish harbor, 100 MGD pump house, upgradation of Dhabeji pumping station, 65 MGD additional water supply from Haleji to Pipri, revamping of Gujjar Nala, rehabilitation of filter plants at Gharo, COD, Pipri of 210 MGD capacity, improvement of main Hawksbay road, revival of surroundings of Empress Market and several other infrastructure projects.

Shah said he has decided to invest in three sectors municipal service delivery that includes water supply and sanitation and municipal solid waste, urban transport that includes KCR and BRT projects and urban policy.

Under the KNIP public spaces, roads infrastructure and city administrative services would be improved for $98 million.  Under the Karachi Urban Management Project (KUMP) permance grants for KMC and six DMCs, capital Development Grants for KMC and Technical Assistance for development of Urban Property Tax would be awarded for $200 m.

The chief minister said that various projects were at implementation stage and some projects were at securing finances and at conceptual stage. He added that under the Muncipal Delivery Services five projects were in progress. They include K-IV of 260 MGD, S-III to remove 460 MGD sewer for Rs36 billion; Combined Effluent Plant for five industrial areas for Rs11.79 billion, establishment of six garbage transfer stations for Rs1.66 billion, development of two sanitary Landfill sites for Rs1.87 billion, Karachi Water and Sewerage.

The Karachi Water & Sewerage Modernization project worth $1.6 billion would launched and to be completed in 10 years.

The chief minister said that investment would be made in infrastructure and institutional reform in KWSB and the World Bank was ready to support the project.

The chief minister said that in urban transport and urban connectivity some projects have been made for which funds were being arranged. They are KCR of $2 billion, Bus rapid Transport System, six BRT lines two MRT Lines of Rs850 billion, Southern Bypass connecting Southern Karachi with Superhighway at Kathore thus providing connectivity between Southern areas of Karachi and Northern Expansion of city.

The chief minister directed Local Government Minister to start the work on Hyder Ali Road and Tariq Road underpasses and work on Lee Market flyover should also be started by end of December.

He told the project director that he would be visiting the on-going schemes from next week and issued similar instructions to keep follow up of the schemes being finalized with donor agencies for implementation.