Defence Housing Authority (DHA) Administrator Brigadier Maqsood Hussain has said the recently launched development projects by the DHA were progressing as per the stipulated time schedule.
He was talking to journalists at a press briefing here on Saturday at DA country and Golf Club.
The DHA administrator emphatically dispelled the impression that the much talked about DHA mega projects have failed to take off, and that there was a stalemate in ongoing development works, adding such misconceptions were totally unfounded and required to be seen in the correct perspective.
Brigadier Maqsood termed continuity as the key factor in maintaining success and credibility of any project.
He emphatically said with the coming in of new DHA Executive Board president at the top the present status of the DHA projects would not be affected in any way and that the development work would continue with the same spirited exuberance with which it was started.
He, however, said midcourse corrections aimed at further improvement and betterment could be made to maintain the high standards of construction and housing excellence.
Discussing the Creek City Project, the DHA administrator opined that the visionary project promises a premium lifestyle and would contribute tremendously to the economic and social development of Karachi and Pakistan.
He said the work on first phase of 'Creek vistas' was going on satisfactorily as per the chalked out schedule, adding aesthetics and quality construction of the exclusively designed high rise residential complex was actively being monitored by Meinhardt, a Singapore-based leading engineering and planning consultant firm.
Brigadier Maqsood said the second phase of Creek City project comprising Creek Towers and Creek Views would be announced soon.
He also dwelt upon the DHA Water Front Development Project, saying it envisaged evolution of 14-km Karachi Beach front as a model beach having exotic recreational facilities of international standards.
The DHA administrator said according to the master plan of the project, the water front area has been divided into seven distant zones on the basis of potential, hydraulic regime and land availability and that the zoning had been done for multiple residential, recreational and commercial usage.
He said the proposals of potential local investors and foreign investors from Malaysia, Dubai, Turkey and China for development of various zones were being evaluated and would be finalised soon, adding the residents of Karachi would soon see a qualitative change in their lives and in their concept for relaxation, style and fun.
He said the survey and planning for refurbishment and renovation work of DHA Phase-I has been finalised by the consultants and the work on the same would start soon.
The DHA administrator informed that emphasis on repair of roads, overhaul of electric system, sewerage lines, water supply system and storm water drainage was being accorded priority, adding the survey of other old phases to determine the nature and scope of repair and renovation work required would follow in an integrated and phased manner.
Brigadier Maqsood also said the survey of DHA Phase-IV was already in progress and the up-gradation and refurbishment of the area aimed at improvement in infrastructure and community services would start soon.
He pointed out that Phase-VIII of DHA constituted 45 percent of the entire area of Defence.
He, however, regretted that infrastructure development of the phase which mostly consists of reclaimed land from the sea was a far cry primarily, due to non availability of requisite funds and because of very high cost of development.
He said Rs 1.8 billion would be required for carrying out state-of-the-art development of Phase-VIII part of which the DHA expected to generate out of the profits from Creek City and Water Front Development projects whereas part of it would be shared by the owners of the plot in form of enhanced development charges.
Brigadier Maqsood was hopeful that top of the line infrastructural development of the area would attract huge local and foreign investment in DHA future projects.
He also gave the details of Combined Power and Desalination Plant, saying that contracts with Siemens AG Germany and Pakistan have been signed for the 94 mega watt capacity power plant utilising natural gas as fuel while for three MGD Desalination Plant using waste heat of power plant as fuel contract has been concluded with a Swedish company, Alpha Level.
Brigadier Maqsood said that the power purchase agreement with the KESC has been finalised while fuel supply agreement with Sui Southern has been concluded.
He said the hydraulic survey of the site has been completed and rival works contracts have been finalised, adding the work on separate erection and installation of power and desalination plants being shipped from Germany and Sweden, respectively would start next month, and would be completed in a record period of 18 to 24 months.
The DHA administrator also said a dynamic traffic circulation plan was being formulated and modern traffic circulation plan was being formulated and modern traffic signals were being installed in entire DHA to ensure efficient traffic management in the area.
He said the state-of-the-art traffic signals using LED technology, vehicle accentuated system and digital counters at a cost of Rs 26.8 million were being installed at 45 road cross sections, adding the new traffic system would help in minimising the looming traffic problems in Defence area.