KARACHI: To facilitate trade between three provinces sharing same border along northern Sindh, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Monday directed the authorities to construct a bridge on the Indus that would connect Kandhkot with Ghotki, thus making the borders of Sindh, Punjab and Balochistan conveniently accessible.

The project would be launched in November on a public-private partnership mode.

He issued orders while presiding over a meeting on road sector at the New Sindh Secretariat.

The chief minister talked about tremendous traffic pressure, particularly of heavy goods transport, at Kandhkot to and from Punjab that warranted construction of a bridge on the Indus to connect Kandhkot with Ghotki.

It will not just connect the two cities of Sindh, but it will reduce pressure on Sukkur bridge, which was enduring the entire pressure of traffic to and from Punjab, officials said.

“Especially, by constructing this bridge, traffic meant to Punjab, northern districts of Sindh and adjoining regions of Balochistan will be diverted, which will reduce pressure on Sukkur route and save hours of time,” said a senior official.

Chief Engineer-Highways Prem Talreja told the meeting that the estimated cost of the proposed bridge would be Rs7 billion.

He said that the homework on the PPP mode was in progress; while the work on the project was set to begin as soon as the investment was offered.

The CM said that necessary progress could be made on a PPP mode but by the time frame of the project be set and implemented upon. “I want to start work by the end of November.”

The proposed bridge would be two kilometres long. There would approach roads — 10km from Ghotki and 13km from Kandhkot.

Planning and Development Minister Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani suggested that mere construction of the bridge would further increase traffic pressure on Kandhkot, thus a bypass on Kandhkot-Thul Road be constructed to connect it with the Indus Highway.

The chief minister asked the P&D department to include the proposal of the bypass in the project and look for all workable possibilities.

Briefing the CM on Nawabshah-Ranipur Road, Mr Talreja said it stretched over 134.5 kilometres, but it had been left incomplete for quite some time.

He proposed that the road could be divided into two portions — 67.5km from Nawabshah to Padidan and 67km from Padidan to Ranipur.

He said that a separate PC-I amounting to Rs179 million was being prepared to complete residual work.

The CM asked the works and service department to approve the PC-I as soon as possible. “I would provide funds but I want to see this road complete by the end of this financial year.”

The chief engineer said that the second portion of the project, Padidan to Ranipur, could also be completed shortly if required funds were released.

The CM asked the P&D department to work out expenditures on the schemes and submit a report to him.

Mr Shah also asked the works and services department to repair a link road between the National Highway and Superhighway in Karachi. He said its bridge also needed major repair work.

He asked the authorities concerned to start work on the abovementioned scheme on a war footing basis as it carried heavy industrial traffic of Pakistan Steel Mills and Port Qasim Authority industrial areas.

Works and Services Minister Imdad Pitafi and Chief Secretary Siddique Memon also attended the meeting.

Published in Dawn, August 16th, 2016