Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad has directed the concerned authorities that besides undertaking development works, special zones for timber, marble, iron and other markets should be developed along both sides of Northern bypass.
"However, while designing the master plan, it should be specifically ensured that industrial plots are located at certain distance from the residential areas. Only the grain market, electronics market and wholesale market can be established near the residential areas to facilitate the people," he stressed while presiding over a high level meeting at the Governor House on Thursday.
The governor said that the Northern bypass had a unique location, as it connected Karachi, Hyderabad and RCD highway. "We can build high-rise buildings in the surroundings of highways to develop an image of Karachi that will attract at first sight," he said suggesting that high-rise buildings could be constructed near Northern bypass with the assistance of foreign architects. This would also ease the housing problem in Karachi, he added.
The governor further asked the authorities to earmark some space for media city in the surroundings of Northern bypass keeping in view the growing number of media organisations. "Presence of offices of TV channels and newspapers at one place would help promote the media," he viewed.
He also directed for allocating place for cold storage and slaughterhouse, however, at certain distance from populated area, to save the people from harmful effects of pollution.
Ebad stressed to ensure provision of all the utilities, including telephone and electricity at the plots meant for truck stands and directed to devise a separate master plan for truck stands, which should include shades, warehouses, workshops and automobile shops.
Sindh Minister for Local Government, Muhammad Hussain, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, Chief Secretary, Fazlur Rehman, Senior Member Board of Revenue Syed Anwar Haider, ACS, Local Government, Mirza Karim Baig, Secretary Transport, EDO Revenue, EDO Master Plan and other officials attended the meeting.
Earlier, in a briefing, the governor was informed that Hawks Bay truck stand was spread over 100 acres where 655 plots would be given to offices and warehouses and 500 plots for shops and brokers while the land would also be earmarked for commercial shops, petrol pumps, weigh bridges, dispensary, community center, banks, hotel, fire brigade and mosques.
Ebad asked the authorities to name the industrial zones as Industrial Parks having all the utility services and transport facilities. He told the meeting that the government had removed encroachments from 3000 acres of land and got it vacated from the land mafia during last one week.