KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah said in the Rs1.1 trillion Karachi package most of the projects are on-going and funded by the provincial government, and his government is committed to develop the infrastructure, drainage, sewerage system and mass transit in the city on priority basis.
He stated this while talking to the media right after inaugurating Water Front Manora Beach Road here on Saturday. He was accompanied by provincial ministers, Shabir Bijarani, Syed Nasir Shah and Law Adviser Murtaza Wahab, Commander Karachi Vice Admiral Zahid Ilyas, Commander Naval Police Commodore Rizwan Ahmed, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Commissioner Karachi Sohail Rajput, DG KDA Asif Ikram, MNAs Qadir Patel, Shahida Rehmani, MPA Liaquat Askani and others.
Murad Ali Shah, replying to a question said Karachi package was not a new thing. "Most of the schemes are already on-going, including those on which Sindh and federal governments were sharing the cost such as K-IV which is being transferred to the Center for its completion," he said.
To another question, the chief minister said that he was surprised to know that the federal government was holding his government responsible for power and gas outages in the city. "The federal government is controlling power and gas generating and distributing companies and they are responsible to provide uninterrupted power and gas supply," he said and added just to hide their inefficiency, the federal government was blaming the provincial government which was quite surprising for him.
Inauguration: Speaking at the inauguration ceremony of six-kilometer Manora Beach Road, the chief minister said that it has been constructed from Kakapir to Y-junction for Rs456.64 million. "I am proud to say that it is the first scheme of the newly created district of Keamari being launched today," he said and announced to declare Keamari as a model district in Karachi division.
Murad Ali Shah also announced the construction of a road from Gulbai to Hawks Bay and vowed to resolve the issues of water, sanitation and infrastructure of the new district.
Talking about the Manora Road scheme, The CM said project was a part of an overall scheme for improvement of water front development to be made available for the public of Karachi. "At present, the Manora beach is underutilization, there is very low volume of visitors due to paucity of facilities like sitting spaces, dining area, rest rooms, shades and tidiness," he said and added that the objective was to develop fundamental facilities and basic activities to get public attraction to Manora beach area and it would eventually increase visitors.
Murad Ali Shah said that the main attraction of Karachi was its beaches and coastline which distinct Karachi from the rest of the country. "Due to dearth of entertainment avenues, especially for middle and lower middle class, people rush to Clifton, sea view, hawks bay ad Sands pit for a long time," he said and added that there was a dire need of some new developments to provide an area for public refreshment and the Manora Beach is a new addition to this list.
The chief minister pointed out that the waterfront development at Manora Beach project, apart from construction of road, has different components. They include Uplift of Manora Beach Segment-1 under which 15,200 square feet is being developed with pigmented concrete pavers, design feature wall with static and digital display, light bollards and hard and soft landscape. The work is in progress.
Segment 2 is a parking area. It would be 6000 square meters being developed with pigmented cement concrete pavers and fair boundary wall. Segment-3 is a sea front development under which 8.75 acres of area is being developed with an entrance gate. It would have pigmented cement concrete paved walkways, sitting steps, waterfront gazebos, orchid design; composite sitting benches with plants, kids play zone, kiosks/shops and restrooms.
KDA DG Asif Ikram briefing the chief minister about progress of the work said that out of total 8.75 acres development area, 1800 into 134 meters located on the sea front was being developed first before the high tide season starting from March 31. He added that the RCC Sea front structure has been completed and beautification works were in progress.
Desalination Plant: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah visited RO (Desalination) Plant at Manora Island being established by the Sindh government for Rs427.6 million.
Murad Ali Shah said that the scheme envisaged for installation of Reverse Osmosis (water Desalination) Plant of 500,000 gallons per day at Manora Island, specifically designed to convert sea water into purified water maintaining the TDS value not more than 500 mg per liter to meet the WHO standards of safe drinking water. He added that the RO plant would meet the water requirement of 20,000 inhabitants living in the localities.
Commander Karachi Vice Admiral Zahid Ilyas on behalf of Pakistan Navy had hosted the inauguration ceremony at Manora. The chief minister lauded the efforts of Pakistan navy in the development of Karachi.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2020
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