Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar Tuesday directed the Works & Service department to resume the suspended work on the Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge within a week and instructed law enforcement agencies to provide security to the crew working there.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting of the Works & Service Department to review the progress of ongoing uplift schemes here at CM House. The meeting was attended by Chief Secretary Dr. Fakhre Alam, Chairman P&D Shakil Maqnejo, PSCM Agha Wasif, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Works Nawaz Sohoo, and other concerned officers. Secretary Works Nawaz Sohoo told the CM that Ghotki-Kandhkot bridge project has been launched on PPP mode for Rs 33995 million. It would have a four-lane bridge over the River Indus.
The project length is 25 km and the 1.2 km bridge length. Giving the progress of the work on the bridge to the CM, the Secretary of Works said that it was started from both sides, , but due to the kidnapping of two employees of the project, work was suspended in June 2023. The CM Sindh was told that the 18.7 km approach roads to the bridge have been completed. He added that the construction of Thull Link Road connecting N-55 to Thull Road has also been completed by 95 percent and now the work has been suspended temporarily due to law and order problem.
Justice Baqar directed the Chief Secretary to ensure the security of the workers engaged there and get the suspended work started again within a week and report him. The CM Sindh was informed that the handing over of land for the construction of the Admin building, Toll Plaza, Toll Collecting Staff room, and Weigh Bridge was still awaited from DC, Ghotki due to the delayed disbursement of compensation the landowners were obstructing the ongoing site activities. The Chief Minister directed the Chief Secretary to talk to the Senior Member of the Board of Revenue (SMBR) to ensure compensation for land acquisition and start the work.
The CM Sindh was told that Link Road, M-9 National Highway is a 22 km, four-lane dual carriageway. The project has been started on PPP mode for Rs1.96 billion. Work on the project has been completed, excluding interchange (M9 interchange) by 90 percent. The project is being executed by NHA. The CM Sindh directed the Works department to resolve the design issues of the interchange and complete the project at the earliest.
