KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to construct a bridge on River Indus to provide a direct link between Khairpur Nathan Shah and Kandiaro to improve traffic flows between the two major cities and the surrounding areas.

This was disclosed by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah while presiding over the 34th Public Private Partnership (PPP) meeting here at the CM House, said a statement on Monday.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers, Nasir Shah, Jam Khan Shoro, Zia Abbas Shah, Advisor Murtaza Wahab, Special Assistant Syed Qasim Naveed, MPA Ghulam Qadir Chandio, Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Shah, Chairman P&D Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Local Government Najam Shah, DG PPP Unit Khalid Shaikh, and others.

The chief minister said that the Works & Services Department has worked out a detailed plan to provide a direct link between Khairpur Nathan Shah and Kandiaro by constructing a bridge over Indus River to improve traffic flows between the two major cities and surrounding areas.

The project will significantly reduce travel distance from Khairpur Nathan Shah to Kandiaro, the CM said and added the Larkana-Gambat Bridge located on the upstream of the proposed bridge at a distance of 181 kilometers, therefore, will save 131 km distance.

He added that the Dadu-Moro Bridge downstream is located at 122 km, therefore, will save 72 km distance.

The meeting was told that the starting point of the bridge would be at Indus Highway near Khairpur Nathan Shah at Sita Village and the ending point on the National Highway (N5) would be at Kamal Dero at Kandiaro.

The length of bridge and roads would be approximately 25 km, excluding approach roads from N5 and N55 respectively. The Bridge over River Indus would be two kilometers and the link road on Khairpur Nathan Shah side would be 11.5 km, excluding the approach road from Khairpur NS to Sita Village. The Link Road on the Kandiaro side would be 11.50 km, excluding the approach road from N5 to Kamal Dero.

Sindh Minister Irrigation Jam Khan Shoro said that the Irrigation department has not been taken into confidence, therefore the chief directed Irrigation department to have a comprehensive technical study for allied components of the right bank canals.