KARACHI, Dec 13: President Pervez Musharraf on Saturday took notice of lack of coordination among different government departments, resulting in slow implementation of various components of Rs29 billion development package for the metropolis.

He directed Sindh chief secretary to ensure coordination among various departments to expedite implementation of the programme.

The president also gave 15 days to city government to repair all potholes and ditches on the city roads and three months for repair and construction of other roads.

He issued specific instructions that all the agencies should carry out their respective development works round the clock to complete these within minimum possible time.

The president issued the directives, chairing a meeting at the Governor’s House, following his tour to a number of roads in the city.

During about an hour-long visit, the president was accompanied by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, besides acting city Nazim Tariq Hasan and other high officials.

During the briefing, the president was informed about various bottlenecks allegedly responsible for slow implementation of development work.

Gen Musharraf also asked the governor and the chief minister to personally monitor the work, and directed them to issue executive orders if they find any hindrance in the development work.

He directed the authorities concerned that in stead of wasting time in correspondence they should settle the issues either through telephonic communication or through conferences, so that development work could be expedited.

Taking notice of delay in releasing funds to the National Highway Authority and other concerned agencies by city or provincial governments, he directed the authorities to settle the issue urgently and release the required funds.

On the occasion, Mr Tariq Hasan informed the president that Mauripur Road was a major problem, where traffic remained jammed for hours, adding the NHA had promised to provide an alternate road during the construction of Mauripur Road, as a component of Northern Bypass, however, the alternative road was not given, which caused serious traffic problems.

He said now the NHA had promised to provide the alternative road by Jan 15, 2004, from the ICI Bridge up to Gulbai. He informed that work on the road from Gulbai to the PAF Base was half complete and the remaining work would be completed by March 15, 2004.

He further stated that from Gulbai to Avenue Estate, the road did come under Northern Bypass, but the NHA had not taken it up and now it was being constructed by SITE Limited.

He said work on Shahrah-i-Quaideen flyover was progressing as per schedule and was expected to be completed till Feb 20, 2005, while work on Hino Chowk improvement and construction work would be completed by March next year.

Later, DCO, Mir Hussain Ali, gave a detailed briefing about implementation of various schemes under the Taameer-i-Karachi programme.

Provincial adviser, Local Government, Waseem Akhtar, informed the president that the internal roads in various towns were also in a very bad condition and towns also suffer from a lack of coordination.

The president said then city government should take notice of town affairs, or if it fails, then the provincial government should intervene to resolve the issue.

Giving details of implementation of decisions taken at the previous presentation, chaired by President Pervez Musharraf, the DCO informed him that the Karachi Building Control Authority had received 4,000 applications for regularization of illegal buildings, out of which, so far 896 cases had been settled, which had resulted in recovery of Rs360 million.

The president expressed dissatisfaction over the pace of progress on regularisation of buildings, and told the city government to expedite the regularisation process, adding that a time frame be given in this regard, besides an estimate of the amount expected to be recovered.

The DCO informed that Steel Mill, a stake-holder in the development programme for the city, had undertaken to construct a multi-level flyover at Quaidabad.

The representative of the Steel Mill said that design of proposed flyover had been submitted to the city government, while the NESPAK had been appointed as consultants.

NHA Chairman Maj Gen Farrukh Javed informed the president that the NHA wanted to construct a four-lane highway up to Ghakkar Phatak.

It was decided that the road would be constructed by the NHA and Steel Mill and then handed over to the city government.

The DCO said Steel Mill had also assured its contribution towards Solid Waste Management.

The president directed that major users of this road, like NLC, the Port Qasim Authority, and automobile manufacturers should also be involved in the development works. He said NHA chairman would coordinate this programme.

The DCO said that Karachi Port Trust was undertaking the improvement work of M A Jinnah Road, Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road, Mai Kolachi Bypass and Shahrah-e-Rumi.

The KPT chairman assured the president that it would complete its assigned projects by December, 2005.

He informed that KPT would construct a desalination plant within a year, which would supply water to Manora and Baba Bhit.

The meeting was attended, among others, by Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar, Corps Commander Lt Gen Tariq Waseem Ghazi, Chairman, EPB and Tariq Ikram, Heads of KPT, NHA, EPZ, KESC, NLC and other organizations, Provincial Minister Shoaib Bukhari, Senator Nisar A Memon, chief secretary, additional chief secretaries, Ghulam Sarwar Khero and Mohammed Saleem Khan.—APP