Murad directs LG, P&D depts to start work on K-IV augmentation

Presiding over a meeting to launch the K-IV augmentation project, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday directed the provincial energy department to issue tenders for the installation of a 132-kilovolt grid station and laying of transmission lines.

He also issued instructions to the local government department to begin the procurement process for the civil works associated with the project. Officials said that at the outset of the meeting, the CM said he had called the relevant ministers and secretaries so that the decision made in the meeting could be implemented in a timely manner. “We have to meet the deadline of December 2025 as I have set it for completion of the K-IV Augmentation project,” he said and added that any bottleneck should be removed.

Shah stated that the K-IV augmentation project consisted of two major components — civil work and the establishment of a grid station along with the installation of a transmission line. He instructed the relevant ministers to oversee their respective areas of work.

The meeting was held at the CM House and attended by provincial ministers, Planning and Development (P&D) Board chairman, local government secretary, finance secretary, P&D chief economist, Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) chief executive officer and project director of the Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP).

The meeting was told that the K-IV mainstream project being executed by the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) spanned 111 kilometres and had a total right-of-way (ROW) of 650 million gallons per day.

The K-IV project includes three reservoirs. The augmentation and downstream allied works have commenced with a budget of Rs73.61 billion and are being managed by the Sindh local government department and KWSC.

The CM was informed about three reservoirs and filtration plants involved in the project, which are located in the Manghopir Road area, Taiser Town and Pipri. He was told that a water transmission line would be constructed from the main reservoir-1 to the Y junction, from Reservoir 2 to the Federal Urdu University, and then from the Urdu University to Gul Bai, whereas a line would also connect Reservoir 3 with Banaras.

There is a 2.7-kilometre common corridor for the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit project that would align with the K-IV augmentation project. K-IV Project Director (PD) Usman Moazzam told the meeting that the pipeline to be laid would have diameters of 96 and 72 inches. The total length of the pipeline would be 2.7km, consisting of 0.95 km of 96-inch pipe and 1.8km of 72-inch pipe.

The 96-inch pipeline starts at the Aziz Bhatti Park, transitions to 72 inches near the Federal Urdu University, and then changes direction from the Expo Centre towards Liaquatabad. The Sindh directed Moazzam to begin laying pipelines along the 2.7 km common corridor of the BRT Red Line from Hassan Square to Aziz Bhatti Park.

The P&D Board chairman informed the CM that negotiations with the World Bank had concluded, and the project was expected to receive approval from the World Bank Board in December 2024. The loan was anticipated to become effective by March 2025 but a provision for retroactive financing is available.

P&D Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said the authorisation for the KWSSIP-2, including K-IV augmentation, was issued by the Planning Commission of Pakistan in September 2024, followed by administrative approval in October 2024.

The CM expressed concern over the delay in work despite the approval and readiness of designs, and instructed the P&D and local government ministers to start the project by January 2025. He assured them that he would arrange funds.

Nasir said expressions of interest (EOI) were published for hiring a supervision consultant, with submissions received from 16 firms. Requests for proposals (RFP) were issued to five shortlisted firms in September 2024. Of those, three firms had submitted their technical and financial proposals and the technical evaluation report had been shared with the World Bank for clearance.

In response to a question, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab told the CM that 18 agencies had been approached for the issuance of NOCs, of which 17 had been granted. NOCs from the National Highway Authority, Karachi Circular Railway and provincial highway department were yet to be obtained.

The CM instructed the provincial departments to issue the pending NOCs and asked the mayor to communicate with federal agencies for their approval. The CM instructed Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani to initiate the lining of the KB Feeder and send him a summary for funding. “The Sindh government will provide the necessary funds to ensure the timely completion of the project,” he stated.

The P&D minister informed the CM that six acres of land had been acquired for the establishment of a 132-kilovolt grid station and residential colony. A 30-km transmission line would be laid by the Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company. Murad directed the energy department to expedite the completion of environmental studies for the transmission line.