Mauripur Expressway to give swift access to Karachi beaches: CM

The construction of the Mauripur Expressway and a link road leading to Korangi, the Hub water supply project, the project to supply three million gallons of water a day from the Dhabeji pumping station to the special economic zone, and the Lyari sewerage system project will be realised with public-private partnership.

The projects were given the green light during the Public-Private Partnership Policy Board’s 32nd meeting at the Sindh Chief Minister House in Karachi on Thursday with CM Syed Murad Ali Shah in chair.

The meeting was attended by ministers Nisar Ahmed Khuhro, Syed Sardar Ali Shah, Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, Syed Awais Qadir Shah, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Sohail Anwar Siyal, CM’s adviser Barrister Murtaza Wahab and legislator Ghulam Qadir Chandio. They discussed and approved the following projects.

Mauripur Expressway

The meeting was told that the Mauripur Expressway project would be an eight-kilometre two-by-two lane project from the expressway to the Y-junction and would have a two-lane one-way interchange at the ICI Bridge.

The CM said that the Mauripur Expressway is expected to provide swift access to the Karachi beach area and will be completed in two years, adding that it will bring an end to traffic congestion in the locality. After approving the project, the board ordered floating its tenders.

Link road to Korangi

The meeting was told that the 11.5-kilometre link road was expected to provide swift access to the Korangi Industrial Area and would be completed in two years.

The project includes the construction of internal roads and a bridge within the city. The board approved the project and gave the go-ahead for launching it for investor solicitation.

Hub water supply

The meeting was told that the Hub water supply system consisted of broad components such as the Hub Dam constructed in 1981 with a live storage capacity of 656,000 acre feet. The eight-kilometre main canal owned and operated by the Water & Power Development Authority (Wapda) is coming from the Hub Dam.

The head regulator is installed at the point, after which the main canal splits into the Karachi canal and the Lasbela canal. Around 63.3 per cent of the incoming water is allocated to the Karachi canal while the remaining to Lasbela.

The Karachi canal is a 22.4km stretch with a capacity of 100mgd from the head regulator to the city being operated by the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB).

The canal stretch has significant erosion and structural failure causing water losses. Two pump houses are being used to pump the water from the canal through the rising mains to the filtration plant. The old pump house is not functional and the new one has surpassed its design life.

Pipes measuring 2km take the water from the pumping stations to the filtration plant. The pipes are 38 years old and have not been replaced since their installation.

The filtration plant has a treatment capacity of 80mgd and is mostly not functional. It has a solar power plant with a capacity of six megawatts. The board approved the project and ordered launching the project. The provincial government will talk to Wapda authorities to share the cost.

30mgd water supply

The meeting was told that this project includes the laying of a water pipeline leading to the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone (10mgd) and to areas in District South (20mgd), including DHA, Qayyumabad and Akhtar Colony, and the setting up of pumping stations, a filtration plant and a power supply network, and securing the right of way.

An end-to-end solution, including upgrading and rehabilitating the distribution network, along with collection from end-consumers is also being explored. A private firm has shown interest in providing transaction advisory services for the project. The board approved access to the project development facility funds and ordered engaging external consultants to conduct a feasibility study.

Lyari sewerage system

The meeting was told that the Lyari Sewerage Rehabilitation Project has 14 pumping stations with sewerage systems of various sizes and capacities in Lyari and its adjoining areas to pump sewage against gravity through nullahs and rising mains.

All the pumping stations and the interconnected sewerage network, including the main trunk sewers and the sub-main sewers, are in an extremely dilapidated state, barely functional and in dire need of rehabilitation.

The CM said that the sewerage system in Lyari and its adjoining areas needs to be revamped, primarily all the pumping stations, the main sewer trunks and the rising mains. The board approved the funds for the project to hire a consultant to conduct a feasibility study.

LDA Scheme 42

The meeting was told that the Lyari Development Authority (LDA) Scheme 42 was established in 1994. The initial development of the project was carried out via funds raised through the allotment of plots. The development of the project decelerated primarily due to a shortage of funds and the non-mutation of land in the LDA’s favour.

The LDA intends to develop a strategy through the assistance of transaction advisory consultants to revive the entire scheme as well as develop infrastructure and utility networks. The board approved the project and ordered conducting a feasibility study and providing transaction advisory services.

Desalination project

The meeting was told that the KWSB is interested in pursuing the desalination project, under which a 5mgd desalination plant utilising the seawater reverse osmosis system is to be established primarily to meet the water needs of the Clifton and DHA neighbourhoods.

This project will explore the most commercially, technically and legally viable option to meet the water shortfall needs of Clifton, DHA and the adjoining areas through the establishment of a 5mgd desalination plant near the seaside.

The KWSB needs to engage consultants to conduct a comprehensive feasibility study and perform transaction advisory services for the implementation of such a venture. The board approved the project.