Contract-winning companies told to start repairing rain-affected roads in Karachi: mayor

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab has said that after completing the tendering and scrutiny process for the reconstruction of rain-affected roads in Karachi, the companies awarded contracts have been instructed to commence construction work.

In the first phase, 33 roads in the city are being reconstructed, and the street lighting system on various roads is also being modernised. All companies have been explicitly directed that there must be no negligence or use of substandard materials in the construction of the roads; otherwise, the responsible company will be immediately blacklisted.

The 33 roads undergoing construction and repair include Habib River Road, Shahrah-e-Orangi, Madinatul Hikmat Road, Lal Shahbaz Qalandar Road, Mahmood Road, Kashmir Road, Nizami Road, Khushhal Khan Road, Razi Road, PECHS, the road from Expo Centre to National Stadium, the road from Bab-e-Khyber to Mominabad Police Station, Metroville Road, and others. Additionally, repairs are being carried out at Chandni Chowk and Kamran Chowrangi, as well as in Nazimabad, Tariq Road, and Umar Sharif Underpass. Repairs are also taking place at Yaseenabad, Natha Khan, Drigh Road, NIPA, Sohrab Goth, Golimar, Pakistan Quarters, Baloch Colony, and Karsaz bridges.

Moreover, restoration and repair work on streetlights is being conducted on Shah Waliullah Road, Ittehad Town Road, Baldia Stadium Road, Gulshan-e-Iqbal Block 13-D Road, Malir 15, Railway Gate, Ibrahim Hyderi Road, Bahadur Yar Jung Road, Korangi, Old Queens Road, Club Road, II Chundrigar Road, Sindh Secretariat Road, Gulistan-e-Johar, Continental Bakery, Kamran Chowrangi, MediCare Hospital Sharfabad, New Town Police Station, PIB Colony Road, and others. Habib River Road and Bab-e-Khyber Road repairs will also improve the sewage system.

Wahab emphasised that enhancing the city’s infrastructure is a priority, and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is committed to fulfilling its responsibilities in this regard. By improving roads, bridges, underpasses, and intersections, obstacles to traffic flow, he said, would be removed, leading to a significant reduction in travel time within the city and reducing traffic jams, ultimately saving citizens’ valuable fuel.

He mentioned that effective strategies have been devised for road construction and other infrastructure projects, taking past experiences into account. The engineering department has been explicitly instructed to ensure quality in development works to prevent waste of funds allocated for the city’s development. He stressed the need for the newly constructed infrastructure to be durable so that citizens can benefit from it for a long time.

Wahab said the consequences of poor infrastructure have affected Karachi’s residents in the past. This is why, immediately after taking charge of the KMC, priorities for the city’s development and infrastructure restoration were set, and all KMC departments were held accountable for adhering to these priorities.

He said the citizens of Karachi could see that local representatives are striving to solve the city’s problems. Efforts are being made to involve all relevant agencies to make the developmental process effective and comprehensive. “It is hoped that the future will bring better prospects for Karachi,” he said.