KARACHI – Sindh Chief Minister (CM) Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday reviewed the progress of major development works in the city and directed the local government department to expedite work on the Malir Expressway so that its first phase (one segment) could be opened for the public in the second week of August.
He also directed the water board to start work on the rehabilitation of the Hub Canal project on the first of August so that it could be completed within a year. The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Secretary LG Khalid Hyder Shah, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, CEO Water Board Salahuddin, PD Malir Expressway Niaz Soomro, and other concerned.
Malir Expressway: Given the progress of the Malior Expressway project, the CM was told that the first segment of 1 to 15-km from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Shah Faisal was 77 percent. The physical progress of Segment-2 Shah Faisal to Kathore (15 to 38-km) has been achieved at par 29 percent.
Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani informed the CM that the progress on Jam Sadiq Bridge connectivity had reached 13 percent. Additionally, the EBM Interchange, Pir Bukhari Nullah Bridge, Chakora Nullah Bridge, and Shah Faisal Interchange have reached 96 percent, 99 percent, 99 percent, and 90 percent completion, respectively. However, work on Quaidabad connectivity stands at 8 percent.
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.
Hub Canal project: The CM was informed that his government has started the project known as the rehabilitation of the existing canal and appurtenances construction of a new canal 100 MGD and upgrade the existing canal for Rs12.73b.
The CM said that with the rehabilitation of the existing canal, 30 to 35 percent water for West, Central and Keamari would be increased. He added that with the construction new canal along the existing one, those three districts would be receiving 200 MGDs.
Murad Shah said that keeping in view the importance of the project, he had decided to construct the project from provincial government resources; therefore, he would not tolerate any delay in its process.
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab told the CM that he had personally monitored the entire process. He added that after hiring of the consultant, work had been awarded and shortly, it would be started.
