CM approves construction of high-rise in place of Liaquatabad Super Market

Sindh Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar has issued directives for construction of a multi-storey residential and commercial building in place of the Liaquatabad Super Market, in which the rights of the tenants would be protected as has been decided for Pakistan Quarters, Clayton Quarters and Jamshed Quarters.

He was presiding over a follow-up meeting to review the progress of ongoing development works in the city on Friday. Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and Sindh Local Government Secretary Manzoor Shaikh briefed the CM about the Liaquatabad Super Market. They said the market was a four-storey building constructed over an area of little less than one acre. It had around 900 occupants.

Wahab said the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) hardly earned Rs5.3 million from 700 shops in the Liaquatabad Super Market. He said the market was located on the main Liaquatabad.

The CM said the provincial government could construct a high-rise residential-cum-commercial building either from its budget or through public-private partnership. He added that the genuine tenants would be looked after properly in the new building that would have offices, shops and residential apartments.

Beautification

Justice (retd) Baqar also inquired about the status of an under-construction building on Sharea Faisal opposite Star Gate. The mayor told him that the building was being built on a commercial plot measuring 417.31 square yards in Moria Khan Goth, Shah Faisal Town.

Wahab said the said plot was allotted to its owners by the Katchi Abadies Department of the KMC. He added that the KMC had cancelled the allotment order and the Sindh Building Control Authority had already bulldozed its front portion.

The CM appreciated the mayor and directed him not to allot such commercial plots facing the main artery of the city. Justice (retd) Baqar was told that beautification work on Sharea Faisal had been started after consultations with architects and experts. He directed the KMC and other agencies to improve streetlights in the city and ensure their proper maintenance.

He directed the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board to improve its sweeping, lifting of garbage and road washing operations. “I am not satisfied with the cleaning work being carried out in the city,” he said.

Encroachments

The CM said that almost all the main and link roads of the city had encroachments. He remarked that it was deplorable that we could not protect our main roads, streets and even parks.

The local government secretary told the CM that he had written a letter to all the towns of the city with the directives to assist and cooperate with the KMC in the removal of encroachments. Planning and Development Board Chairman Shakil Mangnejo suggested that the towns must be given funds to remove encroachments. He said the town administrations had sent their budget proposals for the removal of encroachments.

Justice (retd) Baqar directed the secretary to provide 30 per cent of funds to the demand of the towns so that they could start the removal of encroachments, plant trees and improve roads, footpaths and sewerage system.

The CM also directed the mayor to develop pushcart markets. Stating that the cart vendors should have a dedicated properly developed area, he directed Wahab to submit a proposal in this regard. The CM approved a one-time Rs50 million grant for the Traffic Engineering Bureau of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) for upgrade of traffic signals systems.

Water and sewerage

Reviewing the condition of various drains under the municipal bodies, he observed that due to jurisdiction issues, all the concerned agencies were passing the buck. The issue of jurisdiction must be resolved once and for all, he added.

Justice (retd) Baqar constituted a committee under Local Government Minister Mubin Jumani with the mayor and local government secretary as its members. The committee would examine the condition of the drains, ascertain the ownership of the concerned agency and work out a plan to clean them.

The CM said that due to the pathetic condition of the Hub Canal, over 30 per cent of water taken from the Hub Dam for the people of West, Central and Keamari districts got wasted. He directed the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation managing director to send a summary through the local government department for the upcoming cabinet meeting for improving the canal.

Justice (retd) Baqar also noted that polythene bags were choking drains and they must be banned. He directed the environment department to send him a proposal regarding how those bags could be banned without hurting the businesses and employment opportunities of the people manufacturing them.

Lyari General Hospital

Works Secretary Nawaz Sohoo informed the meeting that hedhas visited the Lyari General Hospital and found the building’s condition pathetic.

He said rusted iron bars were visible and roof slabs and beams had been affected due to leakage of water from pipes and drainage lines. Marks of seepage were seen at various places and even water dropping from the ceiling was visible on the floor, he added.

The meeting was told that the building was old and could not be renovated but a second opinion on the strength of the building had been sought to make a final decision regarding renovation or reconstruction.

The CM directed the works secretary to submit a detailed proposal for the reconstruction of the hospital building that did not hamper the hospital’s OPD. The mayor briefed the meeting on the affairs of the Spencer Eye Hospital. He said the hospital’s OPD had started functioning.

The CM said the Spencer Eye Hospital was a historical facility that had been neglected. He told the mayor to make personal efforts to make the hospital fully functional. When the meeting was told that the KDA’s head office Civic Centre was in bad condition, the CM directed the KDA director general to renovate the building and improve the street roads surrounding it.

Parks

The mayor told the CM that on his instructions, the Hill Park was being developed by the KMC. He said that he had also planned to develop all the parks with the support of private partners. The CM directed Wahab to develop urban forests at different locations to improve the overall environment of the city. The mayor said he had identified an area in the Gutter Baghicha where an urban forest would be developed.