KARACHI, Dec 3: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal on Saturday announced Rs2.589 billion development package for Karachi and construction of roads from Metropole Hotel to Airport, from Nazimabad flyover to Sharea Faisal and from Surjani Town to Tower, as well as University Road.

He was addressing a press conference at Civic Centre where DCO Fazlur Rehman and other CDGK officials were present.

“We are building up a Karachi of the future,” the nazim said, adding that after taking over the CDGK, the Haq Parast Group decided to do a better planning for the city and prepare such project which could prove their utility for decades.

He said that while preparing development plans, it was ensured that there was no technical flaw. He said due attention had been paid to consultations with experts and acquiring of services of professionals in relevant fields with special emphasis on present and future requirements of the city.

“We are determined to transform Karachi into an international mega city through development,” he added.

Mr Kamal said that the projects in hand would start reflecting their commitment within the next six weeks.

Unveiling the Rs2.589 billion package, he said that the projects under this package had either been lying in abeyance for several years or had not been considered at all.

Some of the projects to be taken in hand under the package are: Construction of a drain from Islam Nagar to Orangi TMA office (Rs16.77 million); constru-ction of a drain from Sadiqabad to Gulzar Mohammedi Colony (Rs26.08m); construction of a drain in Orangi No16 Mianwali Colony (Rs27.51m); construction of a bridge over PAF Base Sharea Faisal; construction of a signal-free intersection at Mahmood-abad/Chanesar Halt Sharea Faisal (Rs299.44m); construction of an underpass at Ibne Sina Road below Nazimabad Bridge (Rs329.5m); construction of an underpass below Liaquatabad Bridge (Rs329.5m); construction of a bridge between Tipu Sultan Road and Sharea Faisal (Rs156.43m); reconstruction and development of an intersection on Shahrah-i-Ghalib, Keamari (Rs302m); construction of road from Teen Hatti to Shaheed-i-Millat Road (Rs126.72m); and expansion of Korangi Road bridge on Mahmoodabad nullah. Besides, garbage-lifting machinery worth Rs600 million will be procured under the package.

Mr Kamal said many projects were still lying in pending for want of necessary approval to their designs. Now, he said, he had issued directives for removal of all bottlenecks. He pointed out that work on Karsaz flyover was in pending because a part of the bridge was to cover the land belonging to the water board, which had been asked to surrender the land in the city’s interest.

Regarding Gharibabad underpass, the nazim said its foundation stone had been laid without any planning and its design had also not been approved.

He described Hasan Square flyover as the most important project, indicating that thousands of vehicles passed through the intersection daily. However, the project design for the flyover did not commensurate with actual requirement. The city government had modified the design and decided to acquire land from Expo Centre. Under the modified plan, the proposal of an underpass would no longer be valid.

After completion of these projects, the route from Nazimabad flyover to Sharea Faisal will become signal-free while work on making Sharea Faisal, from Metropole to Airport, signal-free has already commenced.

Steps would be taken during the current financial year to ensure a smooth flow of traffic at JPMC intersection while work was about to start for widening of Sharea Faisal at its FTC and JPMC sections, he said.

Pointing out that everywhere in the world there were separate tracks for motorcycles, he said he had directed the works and services department to conduct survey. Consideration was being given to provide such a track on Sharea Faisal, he added.

Mr Kamal told journalists that a consultant had been appointed to conduct a survey for undoing the internal accesses of University Road between Hasan Square and NIPA Chowrangi.

In order to reduce traffic pressure, yet another major project was under consideration which envisaged the construction of an overhead passage between Surjani Town and Tower with access points at Surjani, Nagan Chowrangi, Sakhi Hasan, Nazimabad, Lasbela, Guru Mandir and Tower. It will be a project separate from the mass transit.

Two pedestrian bridges on University Road, in front of the NED and Karachi varsities, would be constructed, he added.

The city nazim said that a ‘transfer station’ for garbage dumping would be constructed at Mewashah on BOT basis.—APP