sparklingway
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It's a super-big elitist project being touted as "development" by our urban upper middle class, since their definition of development constitutes wide-*** roads, flyovers and big shopping malls only. It's been delayed thrice since the cost of the bridge construction skyrocketed.
Since only Rs.100 is redeemable out of the Rs.200, the average 3-4 child family will spend Rs. 500-600 as merely entry fees. The members here on PDF are surely amongst the ones who can afford this, however >80% of our population cannot.
Over Rs one billion Port Grand project: builder dispels doubts about Asia's largest 'underdeveloped' resort
ISMAIL DILAWAR
KARACHI (March 20 2010): The Port Grand, which is fast nearing the much-awaited completion at the scenic coastal stretch of Karachi Port to become the largest port-based resort of Asia, has incurred over Rs 800 million in addition to its original cost of less than Rs 200 million.
The Grand Leisure Corporation (GLC) is undertaking the Karachi Port Trust's mega project over a waste area of 13 acres of KPT land ranging from the Native Jetty Bridge to M. A Jinnah Bridge Roundabout on Built-Operate-Transfer basis for 21 years. The lease period is, however, under negotiation as the GLC seeks further 20-year extension in view of a years-long delay in the completion of the project, work on which was started in November 2004.
SUSTAINABILITY AND DELAY? Whereas the KPT has been under persistent media criticism for the delay with the critics questioning sustainability of the 1867-built bridge, the GLC sees nothing but the rebuilding of over a century old Native Jetty Bridge as one of the complex reasons that not only delayed the completion, but also turned the initially small project into a capital-intensive but unique venture.
According to the GLC, the rebuilding of the entire bridge was not anticipated and became absolutely necessary in order to proceed with the project. It says the old abandoned bridge was scheduled for demolition if the Corporation had not bid for its preservation and revitalisation.
"No one could have thought that we would have to rebuild it completely," Chief Executive of GLC Shahid Firoz told Business Recorder during an exclusive interview. He said the reconstruction had extended the life of the bridge at least for another five decades subject to the upgradation afterwards. "Nothing lasts until it is regularly attended," he viewed.
The chief executive believes that the bridge is old no further. "Special submarine testing and radio science surveys were conducted by the divers to check structure of the bridge," he said. Though most of the piles were in good shape, some needed rectification with others, the wooden ones, replaced and made concrete, he said.
"The original investment was less than Rs 200 million but the rebuilding made us increase this investment by over 600 percent to over a billion rupees," he said. Second contributing factor to the delay was to allay the concerns of Hindu minority, whose temple is located almost in the midst of the Port Grand. According to Firoz, the orthodox Hindus were apprehending that the smell of non-vegetarian cooking at the Promenade would breach their religion.
"Taking special care of their religious sentiments we have developed a Temple Point for them... they are happy now," he said. Other causes, he cited for the delay, included removal of encroachments from the site and redesigning of the main building to accommodate the KESC and the KWSB lines that have a complex network throughout the site.
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION? The GCL CEO takes this issue as a big challenge, saying that the tenants, through submitting a formal housekeeping undertaking to the GLC, would commit that they would not throw garbage into the sea.
"When you create an environment it dictates the people to behave accordingly... and we have gone extra miles to create that environment," said Firoz citing the PAF Museum as an example. The GLC also went extra miles in ensuring that unlike other near-port facilities there is no smell in water around the Port Grand.
"The GLC undertook special measures to treat the water to prevent smell and to make it cleaner and clearer... believe it or not the patient visitor would be able to even spot a dolphin or two around the Promenade if they watch carefully," he said. Thousands of trees have been planted in and around the resort to keep the site green, thus beautiful and environment-friendly, he said adding all the trees that existed on the site prior to the building of the Port Grand were preserved and replanted.
"A special irrigation system has been installed in the 150 years old Banyan that sits at the edge of the NMB to give it an even longer life." At Port Grand we have made special effort to use environmental-friendly building materials and employ energy efficient technologies that can set a precedent for future projects and promote a more sustainable environment.
SECURITY AND SAFETY? To make the Port Grand a safer place for the visitors, the GLC has hired a private security company that would be backed by a highly "critical security equipment". Asked if he had cared for accidents, like an out of control vehicle at the overhead M.A Jinnah Bridge may cause more destruction in the Rotary Food Court, the chief executive said the KPT would be installing very "special and strong" guard-rails at that part of the bridge to prevent the vehicles from falling down.
TENANTS' RESPONSE Firoz said the GLC had received an "extremely positive and strong" response from over 100 national and international companies who were keen to do business at the facility. "The international brands like, the Noodle House, which have never been in Pakistan would be seen at the Port Grand," he said.
Following a multiple criteria the GCL has been very selective as far as the choice of tenants is concerned, as Firoz said: "We don't want it to be a place which has no diversity." Value-addition being its salient feature, the facility is expected to create at least 1,000 direct and 5,000 indirect employment in different services that would include boot polish nostalgia, banks, courier service, cinemas, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, video/DVD stores, hairdressers, travel agencies, art galleries, news-stand, tobacco and pan kiosks, lost and found desks etc.
Firoz was complainant of those who were misconstruing the Port Grand with a Food street in Lahore. "The Port Grand would be a nautical-themed destination for good quality and hygienic food, landscaping, walkways, joy rides, marine and railway-related entertainment like dinner cruises, dining car and what not?," the GLC chief said.
HISTORICAL TOUCH? Centered at the historically important Napier Mole Bridge, the Port Grand would manifest history in various forms prominently the old stones used in its infrastructure and the development of a "model railway platform" along with a special railway track and signals for a 1926-built coach provided by the Pakistan Railways as a goodwill gesture.
"The coach has been brought from Lahore and is presently parked at Cantt Station," Firoz said adding "the GLC should surely be appreciated for the resurrection of history and heritage as had it not embarked on the preservation of the old Napier Mole Bridge and its surrounding port, this would have already been a lost treasure."
PARKING? About the parking, which is one of the major problems of a congested city like Karachi, the GLC official said a dedicated parking located at a piece of land right behind the Rotary Food Court would be made available to accommodate at least 800 vehicles simultaneously.
FOR ELITES ONLY? Asked if the highly-decorated and capital-intensive facility would focus, as some people perceive, only on the foreigners or the elites as its customers, the CEO clarified that: "This is open for everyone who can afford".
Designed by a New Jersey-based American architecture firm M/s NEWWORK, the Port Grand once completed is going to be a world class resort featuring a host of traditional and untraditional foods, shopping malls and marine and rail-related entertainment that, as the builders foresee, would give this violence-hit financial district a cultural and recreational touch, he concluded.
Since only Rs.100 is redeemable out of the Rs.200, the average 3-4 child family will spend Rs. 500-600 as merely entry fees. The members here on PDF are surely amongst the ones who can afford this, however >80% of our population cannot.
Over Rs one billion Port Grand project: builder dispels doubts about Asia's largest 'underdeveloped' resort
ISMAIL DILAWAR
KARACHI (March 20 2010): The Port Grand, which is fast nearing the much-awaited completion at the scenic coastal stretch of Karachi Port to become the largest port-based resort of Asia, has incurred over Rs 800 million in addition to its original cost of less than Rs 200 million.
The Grand Leisure Corporation (GLC) is undertaking the Karachi Port Trust's mega project over a waste area of 13 acres of KPT land ranging from the Native Jetty Bridge to M. A Jinnah Bridge Roundabout on Built-Operate-Transfer basis for 21 years. The lease period is, however, under negotiation as the GLC seeks further 20-year extension in view of a years-long delay in the completion of the project, work on which was started in November 2004.
SUSTAINABILITY AND DELAY? Whereas the KPT has been under persistent media criticism for the delay with the critics questioning sustainability of the 1867-built bridge, the GLC sees nothing but the rebuilding of over a century old Native Jetty Bridge as one of the complex reasons that not only delayed the completion, but also turned the initially small project into a capital-intensive but unique venture.
According to the GLC, the rebuilding of the entire bridge was not anticipated and became absolutely necessary in order to proceed with the project. It says the old abandoned bridge was scheduled for demolition if the Corporation had not bid for its preservation and revitalisation.
"No one could have thought that we would have to rebuild it completely," Chief Executive of GLC Shahid Firoz told Business Recorder during an exclusive interview. He said the reconstruction had extended the life of the bridge at least for another five decades subject to the upgradation afterwards. "Nothing lasts until it is regularly attended," he viewed.
The chief executive believes that the bridge is old no further. "Special submarine testing and radio science surveys were conducted by the divers to check structure of the bridge," he said. Though most of the piles were in good shape, some needed rectification with others, the wooden ones, replaced and made concrete, he said.
"The original investment was less than Rs 200 million but the rebuilding made us increase this investment by over 600 percent to over a billion rupees," he said. Second contributing factor to the delay was to allay the concerns of Hindu minority, whose temple is located almost in the midst of the Port Grand. According to Firoz, the orthodox Hindus were apprehending that the smell of non-vegetarian cooking at the Promenade would breach their religion.
"Taking special care of their religious sentiments we have developed a Temple Point for them... they are happy now," he said. Other causes, he cited for the delay, included removal of encroachments from the site and redesigning of the main building to accommodate the KESC and the KWSB lines that have a complex network throughout the site.
ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION? The GCL CEO takes this issue as a big challenge, saying that the tenants, through submitting a formal housekeeping undertaking to the GLC, would commit that they would not throw garbage into the sea.
"When you create an environment it dictates the people to behave accordingly... and we have gone extra miles to create that environment," said Firoz citing the PAF Museum as an example. The GLC also went extra miles in ensuring that unlike other near-port facilities there is no smell in water around the Port Grand.
"The GLC undertook special measures to treat the water to prevent smell and to make it cleaner and clearer... believe it or not the patient visitor would be able to even spot a dolphin or two around the Promenade if they watch carefully," he said. Thousands of trees have been planted in and around the resort to keep the site green, thus beautiful and environment-friendly, he said adding all the trees that existed on the site prior to the building of the Port Grand were preserved and replanted.
"A special irrigation system has been installed in the 150 years old Banyan that sits at the edge of the NMB to give it an even longer life." At Port Grand we have made special effort to use environmental-friendly building materials and employ energy efficient technologies that can set a precedent for future projects and promote a more sustainable environment.
SECURITY AND SAFETY? To make the Port Grand a safer place for the visitors, the GLC has hired a private security company that would be backed by a highly "critical security equipment". Asked if he had cared for accidents, like an out of control vehicle at the overhead M.A Jinnah Bridge may cause more destruction in the Rotary Food Court, the chief executive said the KPT would be installing very "special and strong" guard-rails at that part of the bridge to prevent the vehicles from falling down.
TENANTS' RESPONSE Firoz said the GLC had received an "extremely positive and strong" response from over 100 national and international companies who were keen to do business at the facility. "The international brands like, the Noodle House, which have never been in Pakistan would be seen at the Port Grand," he said.
Following a multiple criteria the GCL has been very selective as far as the choice of tenants is concerned, as Firoz said: "We don't want it to be a place which has no diversity." Value-addition being its salient feature, the facility is expected to create at least 1,000 direct and 5,000 indirect employment in different services that would include boot polish nostalgia, banks, courier service, cinemas, supermarkets, pharmacies, bookstores, video/DVD stores, hairdressers, travel agencies, art galleries, news-stand, tobacco and pan kiosks, lost and found desks etc.
Firoz was complainant of those who were misconstruing the Port Grand with a Food street in Lahore. "The Port Grand would be a nautical-themed destination for good quality and hygienic food, landscaping, walkways, joy rides, marine and railway-related entertainment like dinner cruises, dining car and what not?," the GLC chief said.
HISTORICAL TOUCH? Centered at the historically important Napier Mole Bridge, the Port Grand would manifest history in various forms prominently the old stones used in its infrastructure and the development of a "model railway platform" along with a special railway track and signals for a 1926-built coach provided by the Pakistan Railways as a goodwill gesture.
"The coach has been brought from Lahore and is presently parked at Cantt Station," Firoz said adding "the GLC should surely be appreciated for the resurrection of history and heritage as had it not embarked on the preservation of the old Napier Mole Bridge and its surrounding port, this would have already been a lost treasure."
PARKING? About the parking, which is one of the major problems of a congested city like Karachi, the GLC official said a dedicated parking located at a piece of land right behind the Rotary Food Court would be made available to accommodate at least 800 vehicles simultaneously.
FOR ELITES ONLY? Asked if the highly-decorated and capital-intensive facility would focus, as some people perceive, only on the foreigners or the elites as its customers, the CEO clarified that: "This is open for everyone who can afford".
Designed by a New Jersey-based American architecture firm M/s NEWWORK, the Port Grand once completed is going to be a world class resort featuring a host of traditional and untraditional foods, shopping malls and marine and rail-related entertainment that, as the builders foresee, would give this violence-hit financial district a cultural and recreational touch, he concluded.
