CM Sindh decides to acquire land to build park

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has decided to acquire the land of Metropole hotel to construct a most modern park for children and elderly people in order to avoid construction of a high rise on the land of Metropole hotel.

He took this decision while presiding over a high-level meeting here at CM House, said a statement on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by Minister Local Government Nasir Shah, CM Advisor Murtaza Wahab, Chairperson P&D Nahid Shah,Special Secretary LG Niaz Soomro, experts of P&D and other departments.

The chief minister said that the land of Metropole hotel was located in the center of four most important and busy roads where traffic volume remains considerably high almost round the clock.

Construction of any high rise building on the land of the Metropole hotel would cause further congestion of the traffic in the area and would create serious environmental issues, he added.

He said that he wanted to acquire the land of Metropole hotel where he would construct a beautiful park designated only for children and elderly people.

The construction of the park would be best for environment of the city which was getting more and more polluted day by day,he said and added onward all the projects would be developed,keeping in view the environmental conditions of the city, capacity of the roads and sewerage system and provision of all other facilities.

The CM Sindh pointed out that the left turning of road from Metropole hotel towards Clifton also remains jammed because the traffic going towards Club Road stops at signal and blocks the entire turning and cause heavy traffic jam. Therefore, he said that a portion of Sindh Club on the corner may also be acquired for widening of the left turning of the road.

The chief minister directed Commissioner Karachi to talk to the owners of the Metropole hotel and the Sindh Club management for acquiring their lands and report him within 10 days.

The CM Sindh said that there was a dire need of two underpasses, one at Abdullah Haroon Road at Metropole hotel signal to make the traffic coming from Clifton for Saddar signal free and other one may be constructed at Avari Hotel towards Fatima Jinnah Road to give signal free passage to the traffic of Saddar towards Cantt station.

He directed Chairperson Planning and Development department Nahid Shah to prepare estimates and proposals for both the underpasses and submit him for further action.

He said that he was also considering construction of an underpass at Club Road towards Sultanabad to get the traffic between both the hotels signal free.

He said that he wanted to construct a bridge on the Korangi causeway so that flow of traffic and movement of the people could be easy and hassle free.

He worked out the map of the area and decided to prepare a detailed plan after adopting engineering solutions.

The chief minister was told that the Yellow Line project has also suggested construction of a flyover from Baloch Colony bridge to Korangi which would also cover the causeway.

The chief minister directed P&D department to consult with Yellow Line project people and meanwhile he would construct a bridge on the causeway.

"I would prepare its sketch keeping in view all the traffic requirements of the area and hand over to the P&D for moving forward through their experts," he said.