Okays Rs1.5b for repair of People’s Bus Service routes
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the health department to operationalize the closed Children Hospital North Karachi within 15 days and promised to pay its liabilities and running cost.
“People of North Karachi cannot be denied the services of their health facility for the issues between the private partner and the government; therefore the hospital must be started immediately for the larger interest of the area.”
This, he said, while presiding over a 37th meeting of PPP Policy Board at CM House here on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by Minister Health Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho, Minister LG Nasir Shah, Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab, Special Assistant to CM Syed Qasim Naveed, MPA Ghualm Qadir Chandio, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, VC NED University, SMBR Baqaullah Unar, Arif Brohi, Secretary LG Najam Shah and others.
Health Minister Dr. Azra Fazal Pechuho told the chief minister that the Health Department had executed a management contract with Poverty Eradication Initiative (PEI) in September 2016 for a period of 10 years. But, the private partner closed the hospital in December 2021 and PEI filed a suit before Sindh High Court on September 22, 2020. Since then, the hospital was non-functional.
Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput told the chief minister that he had held a meeting on the issues of the hospital in which Rs 616 million liabilities were worked out.
Meanwhile, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the transport department to repair all routes of the Peoples Bus Service so that it could operate smoothly and properly.
The chief minister issued the directives while chairing a provincial cabinet meeting here on Tuesday.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Shahrjeel Memon, Nasir Shah, Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Commissioner Karachi Iqbal Memon, PSCM Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary LG Najam Shah, Secretary Transport Haleem Shaikh, DIG Traffic, heads of KMTA, KDA, Municipal Commissioner Karachi and others concerned.
CM Murad approved Rs1.5 billion for the repair of all seven routes of the People’s Bus Service and directed the transport department to coordinate with the local government department. “I want both departments to complete the work within 40 days,” he said.
The CM was told that there were various issues on all roads of the seven bus routes.
The 29.5 km long first route from Model Colony to Tower needed some asphalt works at Model Colony, Regal Chowk area, while in the area of Malir halt, FTC, Aram Bagh, it needed pavement works and repairing of damaged sewerage/drainage lines in some areas, the meeting told CM Murad.
