KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Sunday paid visit to seven different under-construction projects, reviewed their progress and ordered removing bottlenecks causing delays in their completion.

The CM expressed displeasure over delay in shifting of K-Electric and Sui Gas Company’s installations, hampering early completion of the Malir Expressway project. He suspended SHO Korangi for his failure to stop dumping debris and garbage along Korangi Causeway and directed SSP Korangi to personally monitor the area where different projects including Malir Expressway, New Jam Sadiq Bridge and Korangi Causeway Bridge are being constructed.

The CM was told that the Malir Expressway project was 38.661-km starting from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Kathore at M-9. It was started on May 12, 2022 and its completion period was 26 months. It is a three-plus three (six-lane) project and would have six interchanges. The Malir expressway segment-I from Korangi to Quaidabad has attained 70 per cent physical progress while segment-II from Quaidabad to Kathore has 30 per cent.

The reasons behind the delay were stated to be that K-Electric has to shift its remaining four installations for which it has already been paid. The K-Electric has also to shift its High-Tension Line (HTL) at Jam Sadiq so that its connectivity with the Malir expressway could be made.

The CM was also told that the SSGC had to lower its three Pressure lines, but they were delaying the process. Therefore, work on the project has been delayed. The chief minister directed to fix a meeting with both companies at CM House at the earliest.

He was told that there were some encroachment issues at the existing loop of Quaidabad Interchange and some land issues which needed to be resolved for completion of the project in time. He directed DC Malir to immediately remove encroachment (from the loop of Quaidabad Interchange), and also resolve the land issues.