KARACHI: Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the authorities to complete the first 15-kilometre portion of the Malir Expressway from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Shah Faisal Colony so that it could be opened for public by the second week of August.

While reviewing the progress of major development works in the city, the CM asked the local government department to expedite work on the 38-km Malir Expressway between KPT Interchange (through Qayyumabad) and the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway near Kathore, along the Malir river that will serve as the alternative route for carrying traffic of the port and industrial areas to main highways, reducing traffic on the Sharea Faisal.

The meeting was attended among others by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Principal Secretary to CM Agha Wasif, Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi, LG Secretary Khalid Hyder Shah, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, CEO of Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation Syed Salahuddin Amed and Malir Expressway Project Director Niaz Soomro.

The chief minister was told that 77 per cent work on the first segment of one to 15 km from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Shah Faisal Colony had been completed, while the physical progress of segment-2 — Shah Faisal to Kathore (15 to 38km) — was at 29 per cent.

Directs KWSC to start work on rehabilitation of Hub Canal

The local government minister informed the chief minister that the progress on Jam Sadiq Bridge connectivity had reached 13pc. Additionally, the EBM Interchange, Pir Bukhari Nullah Bridge, Chakora Nullah Bridge, and Shah Faisal Interchange had reached 96pc, 99pc, 99pc, and 90pc completion respectively. However, work on Quaidabad connectivity stands at 8pc.

It may be noted that work on the 38.681 km Malir Express carriage was started on May 12, 2022, and is scheduled to be completed in June 2025. It has three into three (six lanes) lanes and six interchanges and two Toll plazas.

The CM directed the local government department to expedite the work on Segment -I and said that he would open it on August 14 for the public.

Reviews Hub Canal project

He also directed the water board to start work on the rehabilitation of the Hub Canal project on August 1 so that it could be completed within a year.

The CM was informed that the provincial government had launched the Rs12.73 billion project for construction of a new canal to supply water to the metropolis from Hub Dam and rehabilitation of the existing one.

Mr Shah said that with the rehabilitation of the existing canal, 30 to 35pc water for three districts of Karachi – West, Central and Keamari— would be increased, adding that with the construction of new canal along the existing canal, these three districts would be receiving 200 MGDs.

He said that keeping in view the importance of the project he had decided to construct the project from provincial government’s resources. Therefore, he would not tolerate any delay in its process.

Mayor Murtaza Wahab told the CM that he had personally monitored the entire process and added that the contract had been awarded after hiring of the consultant and work would be started shortly.

The CM directed the mayor to start work on August 1. “I would personally visit the site and witness the progress of the work in the mid of the August.”

Published in Dawn, July 11th, 2024