Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday approved construction of Korangi Crossing and Hub Canal rehabilitation project and directed the local government department to complete both the projects within a year.
He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting to review different projects planned to be launched in the city here at CM House.
The meeting was attended by Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Shah, Administrator KMC Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Sohail Rajput, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Sajid Jamal Abro, Secretary Local Govt Najam Shah, Special Secretary to CM Rahim Shaikh and Additional Secretary Finance Asad Zaim.
At the outset of the meeting the chief minister said that Korangi Cause needs a bridge. “The existing causeway submerges during monsoon seasons, therefore people of Korangi and Malir face serious problems,” he said and added that with the construction of a bridge 28 percent population of Korangi and Malir would be facilitated.”
The chief minister was told that there were two options for construction of the bridge. The first one was to construct a four-lane bridge and the other one was to construct a six-lane.
The chief minister said that it must be of six lanes so that it could cater to the requirement of the areas for next 20 years.
The local government said that it would cost around Rs 5 billion and would be completed within two years.
The CM directed the local government to complete it within a year and start its work on top priority basis. “I would provide you funds just to go into tendering,” he said.
Secretary Local Government Najam Shah said that the life of the bridge would be 80 years and 1.6 km long. The CM approved the project.
Murad Ali Shah directed P&D department to prepare a scheme to overhaul the Jam Sadiq Bridge and the work should also be started within the next three months.
The world bank’s proposed alternate bridge would also be constructed for BRT bus services.
Sindh Minister Local govt Nasir Shah told the chief minister that the hub canal project includes construction of Hub Canal (canal plus pipe hybrid) water conveyance from Hub Dam and Rehabilitation of Hub filtration plant, enhancing its capacity from 80 to 100 MGD operation and maintenance of the canal and pipe would cost Rs14 billion. The chief minister was told that the project would be started on PPP mode and would be completed within two years.
The chief minister said that the launching of the project on PPP mode would take time, therefore his government would finance the project with the condition to complete it within a year.
“If a private party came over to work on the project on partnership basis the funds utilized by the Sindh government would be turned into bridge finance, but the project could not be delayed,” he said.
The local government assured the CM Sindh the project would be completed within a year. The CM Sindh directed the finance department to arrange funds meanwhile the local government would start tendering work.
The chief minister was told that the 65 MGD Bulk Water Supply project would start from Keejhar Gujju Canal to High point, including construction of Gharo water pumping stations. Local government Minister Nasir Shah said that the project would cost around Rs 9 billion, therefore the scheme has been revised.
The chief minister directed the local government department to start the project and arrange the funds. “This city needs water, and we cannot delay water projects,” he said.
He directed the department to start the tendering process so that work could be started in time. Syed Nasir Shah told the chief minister that a five MGD sea water desalination plant project of KWSB has already been approved. The plant would be installed at Ibrahim Hyderi, Korangi.
He added that its feasibility was being conducted by a private firm and its pre-qualification document was ready for launch.
At this the chief minister directed the local government department to work out the cost of the project and cost of the water per gallon so that it could be assessed.
He added that if the cost of the production, per gallon, was feasible more projects could be launched.
The chief minister directed the local government department to focus on the water board’s water distribution system. He said that it needed to be improved on water footings.
