KARACHI, Aug 25: For the development and rehabilitation of the city’s battered civic infrastructure, a Rs29 billion package was in principle approved in a high level meeting chaired by President Musharraf here at Governor House on Monday.

City Nazim Naimatullah Khan gave a presentation on the four- year package, which focused on rebuilding various civic infrastructures, but did not include the Karachi Circular Railways.

Representatives of the provincial government were also present in the meeting.

The city district government had proposed to contribute Rs6 billion while remaining Rs23 billion would be contributed by Sindh government and other stake holders.

Giving briefing to newsmen about the package, Federal Secretary Information Syed Anwar Mahmood said that the package envisaged improvement of sewerage system, water supply network, roads and other civic infrastructure in four years.

He said that the projects had been prioritised for which funding would be made available through different sources. He said that major stake holders would either adopt a project or would commit funding for the project to be completed by the city government.

Representatives of KPT, CAA, PR, EPZ, PQA, NLC, DHA, Pakistan Steel, PSO, PIA, EPB, SITE Association and others, who are the major stake holders in the city, were also present.

Some projects will be implemented within a year whereas some others would be completed in two years. Mid term projects would take three years whereas long term projects could take more than four years for completion, he said.

In his presentation, City Nazim informed that massive damage to roads, bridges and flyovers had taken place in the recent rains and 40 per cent of the sewerage system was non-functional.

He also referred to problems being faced by the residents of Lyari and consequential health and environmental issues. At the outset, he emphasized on the need for upgrading the master plan.

The package envisages upgradation and rehabilitation of the existing sewerage system covering 1,024kms and extension of about 500kms in areas which have not been covered so far.

It has been proposed to construct new treatment plants for domestic and industrial effluent at Korangi, SITE and North Karachi. Recycling of sewerage is also part of the plan.

The package also envisages rehabilitation of rivers, nullahs and rainwater drains, including desilting, rehabilitation and environmental uplift of Lyari and Malir rivers.

In the context of water supply system, President Musharraf was informed that the total requirement of the city was 648 million gallon daily (mgd) water but only 521mgd was being supplied with a loss of 30 per cent, ranging upto 157mgd. Thus, the net supply was 364mgd, leaving a shortfall of 264mgd.

In this context K-IV project for another 100mgd has been envisaged in the package that would include exploration of ground water resources and construction of power plant at Dhabeji, besides upgradation of the existing distribution system.

The plan also envisages rehabilitation of 28 major roads being maintained by the city government and roads under town municipal administration, besides construction of flyovers and bridges.

Solid waste management projects, crisis management and emergency response centres have also been proposed in the package.

Approximate financial implication for upgradation of master plan would be Rs200 million; rehabilitation of sewerage system would require Rs9,115 million; for rehabilitation of rivers and nullahs Rs4,020 million; rehabilitation and upgradation of water supply system would cost Rs4,000 million; construction and repair of roads and bridges would consume Rs11,630 million whereas for solid waste management Rs1,500 million would be required. Moreover, for the procurement of machinery and equipment Rs1,500 million has been proposed in the package, for crisis management and emergency centre Rs200 million and for cantonment boards and DHA Rs1,446 million has been envisaged in the package.

For short term projects to be completed within two years Rs9,000 million has been proposed. This would include the rehabilitation of roads, sewerage system, and bridges and flyovers, and construction of power plant at Dhabeji. Similar amount has been proposed for the projects to be completed within three years.

He said that the city has been divided into six zones viz-a- viz the stake holders. The Zone-I comprises Bin Qasim, Gadap and Landhi where Pakistan Steel, PQA, EPZ have presence. In this zone, Rs200 million have been proposed for the dualization of link roads connecting National and Super Highways, Rs80 million for flyover at Quaidabad T-junction, Rs200 million for coastal road from Port Qasim to PRL via Ibrahim Hyderi, Rs1,100 million for solid waste management for Karachi and Rs50 million for balance work on Mehran Highway.

In Zone-II, which comprises Malir, Shah Faisal, Gulshan-i- Iqbal, Rs650 million has been proposed for the construction of Dhabeji power plant, construction of main roads in Malir costing Rs300 million, construction of farm to market roads with Rs200 million, Malir river bridge from Shah Faisal Colony with Rs500 million and rehabilitation of University Road with Rs300 million. The CAA, PIA, NLC , Military Land and Cantt are the main stake holder in this zone.

In Zone-III, which include SITE, Orangi, Baldia, Gulberg, Liaquatabad, North Nazimabad, North Karachi towns, rehabilitation of Shahrah-i-Pakistan would cost Rs600 million, Shahrah-i-Orangi would require Rs500 million, construction of sewerage treatment plant would cost Rs500 million.

In Zone-IV Rs300 million will be spent on bridge on Malir river at Korangi Road, Rs200 million for the construction of flyover at Hub Chowk, Rs450 million for the development of Shahrah-i-Ghalib, Rs200 million for emergency response centre, Rs540 million for rehabilitation of I.I. Chundrigar Road, M.A. Jinnah Road and M.T. Khan Road. Moreover, Rs900 million will be spent for desalination plant and Rs1,200 million for Malir and Lyari river.

In Zone-V, which includes industrial estates at Landhi, Korangi, F.B’ Area and North Karachi, Rs2,500 million would be required for treatment plants and drainage system. The EPB will be the stake holder of the said zone.

The Zone-VI includes the whole city in which Rs16,795 million are proposed for various infrastructure projects.

The City Nazim informed the meeting that BOT project worth Rs40 billion were already being processed, which include mass transit system and development of Bagh-i-Ibne Qasim.

The meeting was attended by Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Ali Mohammed Mahar, Corps Commander Lt Gen Tariq Waseem Ghazi, federal ministers Humayun Akhtar, Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi, Senator Ahmed Ali, provincial minister Adil Siddiqi, Senator Babar Ghauri, MNA Dr Farooq Sattar, besides senior officials of federal and provincial governments, adds APP.