KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday decided to allot plots to 47 affected residents of an anti-encroachment drive in New Karachi’s 7000 Road Nullah.

He took the decision while presiding over a meeting of the Provincial Coordination & Implementation Committee (PCIC) here.

The meeting was attended by relevant officials. The meeting discussed issues pertaining to the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), bus rapid transit (BRT) projects, progress of anti-encroachment drive, etc.

KCR

The transport department told the meeting that the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) had conducted a survey for the detailed design of the project and estimated cost for flyover/underpasses along the KCR route.

According to the PC-1, three elevated structures would be constructed in phase-1 at a cost of Rs4.9 billion. In phase-2 elevated structures over an area of 6.4 kilometres would be constructed at an estimated cost of Rs11.50bn.

The PCIC is informed Green Line project will become operational on Oct 10

The chief minister said that he had committed to provide Rs6bn, which would be provided by his government as per the timeline of the railway authorities.

KCR’s project director Ameer Daudpota told the meeting that there were some issues, which needed to be resolved before starting the work. At this, the chief minister said he would chair a meeting of KCR, transport department and city administration on Monday to resolve all the issues so that work on the proposed project would begin as per the Supreme Court’s order.

BRT lines

The meeting was told that the infrastructure for the 3.8-kilometre-long BRT Orange Line, which is a project of the Sindh government, would be completed by the end of next month.

The project includes four stations and one bus terminal.

The transport department had released Rs2.12bn to the Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL) for procurement of 20 buses and Rs587.19m to make the project operational.

The buses will arrive from China in December.

The meeting was told that the BRT Red Line was Pakistan’s first mass transit system with zero carbon emission due to the biogas component. The meeting was told that Malir Halt and Mosamiyat depots were being used by Pakistan Rangers, Sindh and they assured that they would vacate the premises when the work would begin.

The chief minister directed the chief secretary to provide alternative space to the Rangers so that they could continue their operational work smoothly.

About 21km-long Yellow Line project, the meeting was told that the contract would be finalised in consultation with the World Bank after Eid.

Regarding the federal government’s Green Line project, the meeting was told that its infrastructure till Numaish would be completed by Aug 30 and buses would reach here from China on Aug 10.

The chief minister was assured that the project would start operation on Oct 10.

Anti-encroachment drive

Karachi Commissioner Naveed Shaikh briefed the meeting about the ongoing anti-encroachment drive.

He said that 5,134 units had been removed, including 238 units from Mehmoodabad Nullah, 3,290 Gujjar Nullah, total 1,606 from Orangi Nullah — 416 from Central, 1,001 units from West and 189 from Keamari districts.

The meeting was told that 1,169 shops and 47 houses had been constructed on the 7000 Road Nullah at New Karachi. On a query, the deputy commissioner-Central said he had issued notice to the occupants. At this, the chief minister said that his government would give plots to the 47 house owners.

Published in Dawn, July 17th, 2021