CM, World Bank discuss progress in 13 projects worth $3.2bn

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday met with a team from the World Bank, led by its Country Director Najy Benhassine, and discussed the progress of 13 active projects worth $3.2 billion that are being assisted by the international financial institution.

Forty per cent, or $1.33 billion, has been disbursed for these projects, and they agreed to speed up the work on them by removing bottlenecks to ensure their timely completion.

Yellow Line

The project has three components: $177 million for the development of road infrastructure for the Yellow Line bus corridor, $260 million for making it operational, and $6 million for capacity building and technical assistance.

Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon told the meeting that under the road infrastructure development for the Yellow Line, two bridges (the Jam Sadiq bridges) are being constructed. He said that the bridge design and build contract has been signed with a firm, adding that the preliminary works have been started, and the major works would be started by June 15.

The meeting was told that the Yellow Line bus corridor has been divided into two lots of 13km and 21km. The designs and bidding documents are being prepared, and will be submitted to the WB by May 30. Requests for bids for the project are scheduled for July 15.

CLICK project

The Competitive & Liveable City of Karachi (CLICK) project has five components: performance-based grants to local councils and capacity building, modernising urban property tax administration and system, improvement of business environment, technical assistance for solid waste management, and emergency response.

Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani told the meeting that all the necessary approvals for the project have been obtained from the relevant forums, and the project restructuring is anticipated by the end of this month.

Solid waste

The Solid Waste Emergency & Efficiency Project (SWEEP) components include immediate emergency response interventions, development of solid waste disposal backbone infrastructure (garbage transfer station and landfill site), and project management and implementation support.

The meeting was told that work has been awarded for the construction of waste transfer stations and landfill sites. The work would be completed within 15 months. The procurement for the landfill site development contract is on track.

Water & sewerage

The Karachi Water & Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP) has three components: operational reforms of the Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), its infrastructure investments, and project management and studies.

The economic and financial analysis of all its three components was completed last month, and the PC-I will be submitted to the LG department. Out of 61 procurement activities, only eight are remaining.

External audit of the financial years from 2008 to 2018 was completed, and the audit reports until 2018 have been shared with the WB. A fresh auditor has been appointed for the audit of 2018-2023. Accounts of the KWSC are streamlined according to the requirements of the auditor.

Solar power

To increase solar power generation and access to electricity in the province, the Sindh Solar Energy Project (SSEP) has been launched. The project has four components: establishment of solar parks, solarisation of public buildings, solar home system, and capacity building and technical assistance.

Energy Minister Nasir Shah told the meeting that out of the 34 sites selected for the solarisation of public buildings, installations at 33 sites have been completed, and four of the sites are in the testing phase to be commissioned, while one site would be completed shortly.