The Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (Retd), Maqbool Baqar performed the ground-breaking ceremony for the underpass being constructed at Karimabad. The Karimabad underpass is being constructed for Rs1.35 million, its length is 1080 meters and its width is 6.1 meters. The project would be completed within 24 months. The underpass project has been launched by KDA. The CM directed DG KDA to keep monitoring its quality and progress so that the project could be completed on time. The chief minister said that the project would help to reduce traffic congestion in the area.
Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (Retd) Maqbool Baqar earlier approved Rs16.8 billion in development schemes for Karachi and directed the finance department to release the amount after completing the required formalities. I want to start some important schemes such as 65 MGD additional supply scheme, TP-I & TP-III, 10 MGD water supply scheme and such others so that work on water supply and treatment plants can be started, the CM said.
The meeting was held at CM House and was attended by Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Local Govt Manzoor Shaikh, Commissioner Karachi Saleem Rajput, Secretary Transport Asad Zaim, Municipal Commissioner KMC Afzal Zaidi and CEO of Water Board Salahuddin. The CM was told that Karachi has an approved water quota of 1200 cusecs (650 MGD from the Indus River, conveyed through the water board system. The existing bulk water supply system includes canals, conduits, pumping stations, and filter plants for the transportation of water to Karachi. The project aims at utilising the available 65 MGD capacity from Keenjhar Gujjo Canal. Mayor Karachi told the CM that the project has an exclusive right of way (RoW) which is available and has no encumbrance. The CM was told that the project was being started through PPP mode but it was taking time. At this, the CM directed P&D dept to approve the scheme within 10 days and directed the Finance dept to release Rs4.5 billion so that work on the project could be started.
The SITE Industrial Area is one of the largest areas. Its water requirement is 50 MGD against which 1.63 MGD was being supplied to them. They meet their water requirement from their internal distribution system which is linked with the KWSBC network through seven bulk connections namely Walika hospital, SITE Post Office, Salika industries, Tofique Paints, Paracha round about, Brook Bond and Gulbai.
