As many as 118 heritage sites and buildings on the route of ongoing green line project have been marked for renovation, refurbishment and improvement to beautify and sustain their historical importance. This was informed in a meeting presided over by the Principal Secretary to Governor Sindh Muhammad Sualeh Ahmed Farooqui here at the Governor House on Thursday.
A World Bank mission included Jaafar Fariaa, Jon Kher Kaw and Shoaib Ahmed, and Director General Urban Policy Khair Muhammad Kalwar were also present on the occasion. Principal Secretary to Governor said that all mass transit projects are aimed at providing improved travelling facilities to Karachiites and the green line was an integral part in this regard.
He also said that integrating communities was also a pivotal component of mass transit so as to enable the locals to make full use of this rapid bus transport system. He further said that maintenance of such projects was a huge challenge and it would require absolute involvement of communities to make the same more effective and sustainable.
While highlighting the keen interest of group of civil society called Alliance for Civic Transformation (ACT), he said that it is contributing to make these heritage buildings more beautiful. As most of such buildings are situated in the business district of Karachi it was an enormous task to renovate and refurbish them, he added.
He also commended the neighbourhood improvement project being carried out in Korangi with the assistance of World Bank. He stressed the need of initiating such ventures in other localities in Karachi. It was also informed during the meeting that green line would have 13 state of the art stations on its route from which there would be 4 main stations. It has now been extended up to tower to facilitate commuters and its section up to Guru Mandir would be completed in 2017, it was further informed.