karachi: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday assessed the damages caused to Karachi’s roads during this year’s heavy monsoon rains, and approved Rs1.5 billion to repair them.
During a meeting he chaired, Shah directed the local government department to launch an inquiry into the affairs of the roads constructed or repaired after 2022 that have since been washed away.
“It is unacceptable for the quality of work to fall short of standards. Strict action must be taken against those responsible,” the CM said, and emphasised the need for accountability in the construction and maintenance of public infrastructure.
He directed LG Minister Saeed Ghani to open an inquiry into the roads constructed or repaired after 2022 that have since been damaged. “This shows that the quality of the work was not maintained, so those responsible should be brought to book.”
Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab said that 17,861,500sqft of roads were damaged in the city during this year’s rains: 8,750,000sqft in District West, 5,555,000sqft in District Korangi, 909,500sqft in District South, 795,000sqft in District East, 832,000sqft in District Central, 625,000sqft in District Malir, and 395,000sqft of flyovers and bridges.
Wahab said that 120 roads, flyovers and underpasses need patchwork: 38 roads in District West, 22 in District East, 20 in District South, 12 in District Malir, 11 in District Korangi and seven in District Central, and 10 flyovers all over the city.
He said that around Rs1.5 billion is required to repair and reconstruct the damaged roads, bridges and flyovers. The CM instantly approved the request, with the direction to the officials concerned to ensure the quality of the repair works.
The mayor said that under the Competitive & Liveable City of Karachi (CLICK) programme, six major development works would be undertaken, including the construction of a flyover at the railway line on Khalid Bin Waleed Road, and the construction of Mehrunnisa Hospital Road leading to Nasir Jump, Ibrahim Hyderi.
Other projects include the rehabilitation of the road from Bab-e-Khyber to Sector 4, Orangi, and the construction of a road and a drainage system from the Khawaja Ajmer Nagri roundabout to Manghopir via the Dadex Factory, North Karachi.
The construction of Captain Karnal Sher Khan Shaheed Football Stadium and Sports Complex, District West, and the construction of Shahzad Football Stadium, Malir, are also part of the CLICK programme.
During a separate meeting that he chaired, the CM identified 219 roads of 3,545.39km in Hyderabad Division and 27 roads of 24.81km in Sukkur Division that were damaged during floods caused by rains.
He directed the works & services department to estimate the damages, and start repairs. The damages include surface, shoulder, bridge and culvert damages related to road infrastructure.
Shah directed Planning & Development Minister Nasir Hussain Shah and Works & Services Minister Haji Ali Hassan Zardari to sit together, along with their respective teams, to estimate the damages caused to the roads during the rains so that the proposal for their repair project can be approved to start the work immediately.