KARACHI: While reviewing 21 development schemes of the Rs10 billion Karachi package, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday asked the local government ministry to submit their PC-1 documents with the planning and development ministry (P&D ministry) by Wednesday (today) and get them approved from the technical committee and provincial development working party (PDWP) to ensure their completion by December.

He issued the order while presiding over a meeting at CM House.

Briefing the chief minister, Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) (development) Mohammad Waseem said the Karachi package had 21 schemes which were to be completed by the current financial year.

The chief minister said he would provide necessary funds, but schemes should be completed by December.

Briefing about Benazir Bhutto Flyover at Shaheen Complex, the ACS said its completion time was eight months from the date of start.

CM Shah asked the project director to submit its PC-I by Wednesday and urged the ACS to hold a technical committee meeting on Friday to approve the scheme.

“I want you to start working on shifting the utilities of K-Electric, SSGCC, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board and other such facilities,” he said, adding that it could be completed before December.

The CM gave the same instructions for construction of the University Road from Hasan Square to NIPA, a Rs995m scheme, and from NED to Safora Chowk.

While discussing rehabilitation/reconstruction of Tariq Road from Shaheed-i-Millat Road to Shahrah-i-Qaideen, Mr Shah asked the director of the project to widen it as much as possible with all the required facilities.

“No scheme should get hindered for one or the other issue. Get them resolved to start them in time,” he said.

He was also informed that Natha Khan Road needed a U-turn to reduce the traffic pressure.

Officials also briefed him on the Manzil Pump flyover at N-5 Karachi which would cater to the growing traffic pressure of Landhi Industrial Area. The chief minister said it must complete by November 2016.

About the Sub-Marine Chowrangi underpass, the P&D ministry was asked to look into every aspect of the project.

The chief minister said remodelling of Baloch Colony flyover was an important scheme, adding that it should be redesigned by making necessary changes into About the Drigh Colony flyover which caused serious hurdle for the traffic going to Saddar area, Mr Murad asked the local government minister to personally monitor work on the project so that existing structure could be used by adding another portion to give smooth flow to the traffic from Airport to Saddar areas.

Some other projects were also discussed and Mr Shah asked the Karachi commissioner to make the city greener, developed and cleaner.

“This reflects my commitment and that of my leadership with the people of the city,” said Mr Shah.

CM’s displeasure

The CM asked the authorities to resolve two major issues — involving traffic mismanagement and lifting of garbage — which had afflicted the city at the cost of its beauty and cleanliness.

“Traffic management and lifting of garbage are two major issues of this city which must be resolved on top priority, otherwise traffic jams, and uglier sights would keep haunting the peace loving people of Karachi,” said the chief minister while presiding over a meeting to discuss issues of cleanliness and hygiene in the city, at the CM House.

Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Chief Secretary Siddique Memon, ACS Mohmmad Waseem, city commissioner and administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation were among the officials who attended the meeting.

Mr Shah said it was poor traffic management that allowed parking of four-wheelers and bikes even on single-lane streets, which was one major cause of traffic jams. He said no such parking should be allowed or at least be banned during the rush hours.He asked the chief secretary and the commissioner to sit with traffic police head and work out detailed plans for traffic management, alternate routes and parking along roads so that policy decisions could be taken in the light of traffic engineering.

Mr Shah said the other important issue was lifting of garbage right from front line to landfill sites.

He suggested that garbage bins must be kept near residential areas so that after collecting household waste sanitary workers could drop it into the bins for onward transportation to garbage transfer stations.

Briefing the chief minister, the local government minister said his ministry had ordered for 800 dustbins each having capacity of 10 tons. He said there were vehicles with district municipal corporations (DMCs) and the district councils concerned which took the garbage away to transfer stations for their further transportation to landfill sites.

The local government minister said each dustbin cost Rs205,000 and the provider would maintain them for 10 years.

“This is a local arrangement which the DMCs and district council are making on their own, otherwise lifting of garbage have been outsourced,” he said.

Mr Shoro said garbage lifting in the DMC South had been outsourced. The firm responsible for the purpose was charging Rs590 per ton. The front side lifting of garbage was being made by the DMC on its own.

The CM asked the local government ministry to ask the sanitary workers to wear jacket of their DMC concerned. This would help identify them and their presence at work.

“First you provide dust bins in the residential areas and try educating people about civic sense — after that start taking strict action,” he advised.

The local government minister said a Chinese firm had been issued letter of intent and now “we are going to sign agreement with them for garbage lifting right from front line to landfill sites”, he said and added after signing the agreement, the firm would start working within three months.

The chief minister asked the LG ministry to keep sending him daily reports of lifting of garbage undertaken by each DMC.

He also suggested them to plan lifting of garbage through a special campaign so that the entire backlog could be cleared.

Published in Dawn, August 3rd, 2016