Murad Ali Shah clueless about federal govt’s body for Karachi

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has expressed lack of knowledge about a federal government’s committee for transformation of Karachi.

The CM said he would meet the prime minister today (Friday) during the visit to the city. When a reporter mentioned the tweet of Dr Shahbaz Gill (the special assistant to PM on Political Communication) that PM would now visit the city on Saturday, the CM said that he didn’t know that the PM’s schedule had changed.

(KWSSIP) Phase-I. There are five combined effluent treatment plants for industrial areas of Karachi which would be completed with Rs11.8 billion. It is also a World Bank-funded project where the provincial government would provide 33 per cent cost. Besides, there are 12 ADP sewerage system schemes valued at Rs2.6 billion.

Three garbage transfer stations (GTS) and two landfill Sites would be established with Rs10 billion under the Sindh Solid Waste Emergency & Efficiency Project, Rs1.40 billion worth transfer station for solid waste management and establishment of six GTS with material recovery and refuse derived fuel facility valued at Rs1.66 billion.

He said the construction of Malir Expressway will cost Rs27 billion and a Link road from M-9 to N5 is estimated at Rs6.5 billion. Construction of two roads, in Korangi and Malir through the World Bank, would cost Rs2.90 billion. Besides, there are 83 other ADP schemes of internal roads in Karachi worth Rs25 billion against which Rs13.1 billion have been utilized.

He said the Karachi Circular Railway would be built with Rs300 billion and the construction of its boundary fencing would be completed with Rs23 million.

The construction of underpasses/flyovers on the railway crossings along the KCR route requires Rs55 billion, the over 4-km-long BRT Orange Line would be completed with Rs2.36 billion, the 26.6-km-long BRT Red Line is budgeted at Rs78 billion and BRT Yellow Line needs for its 21 km route Rs61.44 billion.

The chief minister said that from July 20 to August 20, rains claimed lives of 100 people and destroyed road, drainage and storm water drain infrastructure and other establishments.

Talking about the affected people in Hyderabad, Mirpurkhas and Karachi division, Murad Ali Shah said that the government was providing food, water, medical facilities and veterinary facilities at the emergency relief camps.

The chief minister said that the rains had destroyed standing crops and he would request the federal government to financially support the growers by giving them interest-free loans.

The chief minister said that the appointment of KMC administrator and administrators was the prerogative of the provincial government.

“We are consulting everyone on this,” and added the administrators would be appointed in the province shortly under the same set of powers and everyone would see the service delivery of the (incoming) administrators.

To a question, the chief minister said that the CCI (Council of Common Interests) was competent to notify the 2017 census results. “We have some reservations about the census results and the federal governme-nt should address them first and then notify the census so that delimitation could be done for the local government polls in Sindh,” he said.