Industrial infrastructure: Karachi Industrial Forum seeks Rs 100 billion package

The city industrialists on Tuesday expressed displeasure over the deterioration of industrial infrastructure and requested Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif to announce Rs 100 billion packages to rebuild the industrial infrastructure of the metropolis.
Addressing a joint press conference organized by Karachi Industrial Forum (KIF), the President Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI) Zahid Saeed said; "Karachi's huge contribution to the national economy deserves a proper attention from the federal and provincial authorities towards its plight which can easily be seen in the shape of complete collapse of its industrial estates and infrastructure. Federal and provincial governments should take a notice of dilapidated infrastructure of industrial estates in Karachi".
The KIF includes seven industrialist associations of the city namely Landhi Association of Trade and Industry (LATI), Bin Qasim Association of Trade and Industry (BQATI), North Karachi Association of Trade and Industry, Korangi Association of Trade and Industry (KATI), SITE Superhighway Association of Trade and Industry, Federal B Area Association of Trade and Industry, and SITE Association of Trade and Industry.
He added that recently ECNEC approved only Rs 3 billion for Karachi out of 100bn development projects, which is very unfortunate by not giving the importance of this major city of the country. "The Chief Minister Sindh should sit with the KIF to rebuild Karachi because due to the utter deterioration of industrial infrastructure here businesses are being shifted to other cities of the country," stated Zahid.
He said motorway projects are being announced on daily basis by the federal government but nobody is bothering about the Karachi-Sukkur Motorway. "Karachi industrial areas have become like war zones by dint of infrastructure issues, so the authorities must come forward and accept the ownership of this important city," said Zahid.
Zain Bashir, President LATI, said the Sindh government should improve road and transport infrastructure of the industrial estates to protect the industry from undue losses occurring from prolonged delays and hardships in transport of goods. SITE Super Highway Association of Industry appealed to the Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ibad and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah to take the notice of the deteriorated conditions of the industrial and trade estates.
"We appeal to the government to stop treating industrial estates of Karachi as step children. Despite the contribution of 60% to the national kitty, we have no roads, no electricity, no gas, no water and no law and order. Karachi's industrial zones have become the dumping yards of garbage and encroachments," he added.
Mian Muhammad Ahmed, Patron in Chief BQATI demanded the government to immediately rehabilitate National Highway (Malir Court, Quaidabad and Murghi Khana), Mehran Highway (from Hospital Chowrangi to PQA Culvert) and Korangi Industrial Road (Future Mor, Murtaza Chowrangi to Khator pump).
Abdullah Abid, President FBATI, said the infrastructure in their area that needs immediate attention of the authorities concerned. Both tracks of road from Shafiq Mor to Godhra, pedestrian bridges at Shafiq Mor, sewerage connection on main road from the bridge of Shafiq Mor to Sohrab Goth Bridge, widening of the track from Shafiq Mor towards Nagin Chowrangi, construction of service road from Shafiq Mor to Sohrab Goth and removal of encroachments must be given proper attention.
Arif Lakhani, Sernior Vice President SITE Association of Industry, stated their area needs 50 million gallon of water on daily basis but the Water Board is providing them only one million gallons, therefore 49 million gallon water is bought by industries in the area.
"We demand that Lyari Expressway should be completed immediately. There are four points that need connecting to ease traffic burden in the area, while the heavy vehicles should be diverted to Northern Bypass to resolve traffic issue," said the representative of SITE association.
The representatives of NKATI appealed to improve traffic management by providing diversions to facilitate commuters and enhance security on roads during peak hours. "The industry is the backbone of the country's economy and it deserves a quality road and transport infrastructure," he added.
The KIF complained that during recent rains, the condition of the already frail road network serving these areas has gone from bad to worse. 'Encroachments, illegal parking, open manholes, large broken patches, dumping on median strip, cutting of median strip for illegal u-turns and to top it all absence of traffic police are the prime factors not only impacting economic activities but also creating law and order crisis,' stated the KIF members.
The KIF stated that these traffic jams affect businesses adversely as factories operating in these areas suffer huge production losses. 'Incidences of vehicle-lifting and mugging are frequently reported during these traffic jams,' they stated, adding that with no alternate routes thousands of workers frequent these roads everyday and continue to suffer daily due to the abysmal road conditions. Foreign visitors and business dignitaries are reluctant to visit these areas, which poses negative implications on future investment plans in the province, stated the KIF.