Karachi's Development News And Updates

[W.11]

Plea to expedite Lyari express way
KARACHI - Khadmin-e-Millat Pakistan on Sunday demanded of the government to complete Liari Express way on priority basis.
Saghir Ali Siddiqui, Secretary General of Khadmin-e-Millat Pakistan, said in a statement here Sunday that the construction of the second track is still incomplete which was creating difficulty to the citizens due to traffic rush.
He urged President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari to issue necessary orders regarding early completion of the project. He further suggested that till completion of second track's construction, the present track should be opened from 4 pm to 7 pm for vehicles returning from the city.

do you think that zardari who wasnt able to keep it running for four and a half years will try to restart it after all its just few months left?? and alocate the meagre budget which is being formed borrowing from IMF?

 

[Nishan_101]

I am Starting This thread to put all the development news and Updates Of city Here, I think its not good to start different threads for different projects and progress of the city.All cities must have their own threads.

Canadian firm to launch public transport project in Sindh

A Canadian organisation ‘Bridge Communication & Research’, working on a number of USAID projects, has shown its interest to launch a public transport project in Sindh to ease the problems faced by the commuters in Karachi as well as inter-city travelers.

Syed Naeemuddin and his companion Sohail, originally hailing from Karachi but settled in USA, and working for Bridge Communication & Research Organisation of Canada, showed their willingness at a meeting of governing body of Karachi Public Transport Society (KPTS), recently held with provincial transport secretary Nazar Muhammad Kalhoro in the chair.

They informed the meeting that the project would be funded by USAID and executed by Bridge Communication & Research Organisation. “We are putting up our efforts for procurement of buses to run it through KPTS,” he told.

Shamsuddin Abro, Administrator, KPTS, informed the meeting that Canadian organisation had sought proposals for the project and the KPTS has proposed 3000 buses in the first phase of which 500 for Karachi city and rest for interior of Sindh. The buses proposed for Karachi would have capacity of 70 (40 seats plus 30 standing passengers) while the inter-city buses would have 52 seats capacity to carry seat-by-seat passengers.

Welcoming the Canadian Company’s project, secretary transport assured that Sindh government would extend every possible cooperation including provision of depots and other facilities.

Syed Naeemuddin of Canadian organisation, who is in Pakistan for monitoring the ongoing projects run through USAID grant, said the proposed transport project would be run by NGO (KPTS), however, his organisation would keep watch on its execution.

Bridge Communication & Research Organisation’s delegation, which is currently in Islamabad, would return and meet Sindh Chief Secretary and other concerned officials of government to finalise the matters before signing the Memorandum of Understanding with KPTS.

Minister directs to complete Family Park soon
KARACHI - Sindh Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed on Sunday directed the officials concerned to complete the ongoing construction and development work of Shaheed Ground and Family Park as soon as possible.
The provincial minister said this while inspecting the ongoing work at the park.
Member Sindh Assembly Muzamil Qureshi, Commissioner District East Shafiq-ur-Rehman and other officials were also present on the occasion.
In a short briefing, Shafiq-ur-Rehman informed the minister that the park was being built at one acre where skating yard and other amusement facilities were also being developed for the visitors, particularly for children.
It may be noted that the Shaheed Ground and Family Park is being built at Bahadurabad at a cost of Rs 10 million with the MPA fund of Sindh Minister Syed Sardar Ahmed.

Flyovers in Karachi

If the people of Karachi ever tried to take up this challenge then it can surely change everything like form up a company on Partnership basis and people can be share holders of it. Then they won't even going to destroy it because it will be there own property not of others.

 

[A.Rafay]

Early construction of Jinnah terminal flyover ordered
KARACHI: Administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Muhammad Hussain Syed on Wednesday has directed to bring more acceleration in the pace of construction work of Jinnah terminal flyover at Shahrah-e-Faisal. He said this important project has to be completed by December 2012, adding that any negligence or carelessness would not be tolerated. During a visit of the project along with DG Technical Services Altaf G Memon he instructed that flow of traffic at Shahrah-e-Faisal must not be affected due to the construction work of flyover which has an estimated cost of Rs 289 million. During a briefing to the administrator informed that alternate route and U-turn were constructed before the start of work and the construction of flyover was undergoing without any hurdle. The two tracks of the flyover have three lanes each and the total length of the bridge was 570 metres. The administrator said that Shahrah-e-Faisal is the most important and busy corridor of the city, which had lot of traffic pressure. The project on this corridor must be completed on time. He said KMC had also planned a flyover at Malir 15 and Malir Kala Board for which a sum of Rs24 million had been earmarked in the current budget. He said with the construction of these flyovers people residing around Port Qasim, Steel Mills, Malir and adjoining areas would get better transport facilities.

 

[A.Rafay]

Breathing spaces: KMC plans to rebuild Aziz Bhatti Park lake

Karachi: He is in charge of the city now, which is why key bureaucrat Mohammad Hussain Syed can throw his weight behind a project to rebuild a lake in a park he once visited as a child.

“I used to come here often,” the city administrator mused during a visit on Tuesday. “It was such a beautiful place.”

There were also lakes in Jheel Park, Hill Park, Scheme 33 and Mai Kolachi. “None of them exist any more,” he noted.

The lake at Aziz Bhatti Park has turned into a pond of ***** carpeted by bushes. The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has decided to reconstruct it over three acres and add peddle boats to attract families.

A large bird aviary is also planned. “It will be as high 60 feet or maybe more. We will build it around the trees and have exotic birds living in a natural environment,” said the administrator.

Sobhraj Maternity Home

The administrator also visited Sobhraj Maternity Home, the government-run facility where a woman needs only Rs3,000 to pay for a delivery. The 200-bed hospital has been renovated and the addition of another building has made it possible to now admit over 400 women.

But there are a few snags, such as a proper power connection without which the new wards cannot start running. “Sent me a request for whatever is needed for the hospital,” Syed assured KMC officials. “We will sit together tomorrow to discuss the needs and allocate the funds.”

The new building has been constructed by the Feroza Hasham Trust.
A senior hospital official said they urgently needed an anaesthetist and were looking to offer laparascopic key-hole procedures too.

Zulfiqarabd Oil Terminal

Judging by the pace of work, it seems as if the residents of Clifton would have to wait for a couple more years to see an exit of the oil tankers parked at Dr Ziauddin Hospital and Marine Promenade.

Only sand and rocks and barren land exist as part of the 150-acre site for the new parking lot at Zulfiqarabad oil terminal. The KMC will spend Rs313 million on the terminal and around 1,800 tankers can be parked here once it’s completed.


Flyovers

Cities across the rest of the world are tearing them down, but the folks at the KMC say they will continue to build flyovers despite opposition from city planners. They insist that the concrete elevated corridors remain the best solution to traffic congestion.

“I know this is not the best way to address the problem,” admitted Syed as he oversaw work at the Airport Flyover. “But we had to do something. The wait in traffic jams is getting longer.”

The KMC is putting Rs1.5 billion into five flyovers that will take the total number of bridges to 49.

Urbanists have said time and again that Karachi’s traffic jams will persist as laying more asphalt and raising more overhead passes is not the solution. Mass transit is the only way to tackle it. The funds being poured into flyovers should go into an city rail link and a network of low-fare public buses.

“We have been hearing about mass transit projects for such a long time yet nothing has happened,” shrugged Syed. “Why should we waste time? We will go ahead with the flyovers.”

Timely completion of uplift works urged

Administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Muhammad Hussain Syed has said that all available resources are being engaged for timely completion of more than 15 major uplift projects of the city.

He expressed these views on his visit to various uplift projects’ sites, including those of Sobhraj Maternity Home’s new block and Shahrah-e-Quaideen, here on Tuesday.

Syed said that Sobhraj Maternity Hospital was providing free of cost medical treatment to the poor and deserving. “With the completion of new four-storey block, under cooperation of Feroza Hahim Trust, the hospital will provide even better services to the patients,” he added.

Administrator KMC said installation of air-conditioning system and elevator for patients along with medical instruments for operation theatre would also be completed in the next 15 days.

Medical Superintendent Dr Muhammad Ali informed the administrator that nearly 500 patients visit the hospital daily whereas over 6,000 delivery cases were performed each year. He further said that the hospital was affiliated with the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Pakistan, adding that blood bank, ultrasound and neonatology facilities were available.

During his visit to Shahrah-e-Quaideen, the administrator said that the carpeting work from Khudadad Colony to Noorani Chowrangi had been completed while the remaining from Noorani Chowrangi to Allahwala Chowrangi will be completed in the current week.

 

[A.Rafay]

Karachites would be protected from dengue at every cost: KMC
KARACHI - Karachi Metropolitan Corporation Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed said that fumigation campaign against dengue virus would be carried out with all available resources so that the citizens could be saved from this deadly disease.
He said this while chairing a meeting held to review the anti-dengue campaign being run in different areas of the city. Administrators of all five district municipal corporations, municipal commissioners, health officers, senior director municipal services, focal person for dengue control program Nauman Arshad and other officers attended the meeting.
The city administrator said whatever and how much problems we might have, the citizens could not be left on the mercy of circumstances and the troubles. We just have to focus and work on the single point agenda which is “dengue bhagao-jan bachao” and for this purpose we will have to work very hard to provide shield to the citizens against the lethal virus.
He said the spray campaign will be carried out by KMC and all district municipal corporations jointly and in this connection a comprehensive strategy had been worked out. Spray campaign was performed in different areas of the city under this program.
Senior Director Municipal Services Dr Shaukat Zaman gave a detailed briefing on the present fumigation campaign in the city. He said all the commercial areas, offices, buildings and shopping malls would be covered during the campaign to eliminate the mosquitoes. The special ward in Abbasi Shaheed Hospital for dengue fever treatment had also been made functional with the arrangements for test of dengue virus in other hospitals.

 

[A.Rafay]

Construction of 4 flyovers at Shahra-e-Pakistan and S.M Taufiq Road

KARACHI: KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed has said that the construction work of flyovers at Shahrah-e-Pakistan and S.M Taufeeq Road will be started this week and will be completed within the estimated time which is 6 months.

He said this during an inspection visit at the construction place of four flyovers at Shahrah-e-Pakistan where he was accompanied by Director General Technical Services Altaf G. Memon, Sr. Director Mass Transit Rasheed Mughal, Sr. Director Transport & Communication Muhammad Ather, Project Directors Syed Muhammad Taha, Abdul Rehman Shaikh, Noor-ul-Haq Shaikh and other high officials.

He said that planning for construction of four flyovers at Shahrah-e-Pakistan was already made and offices of concerned contractors have been setup whereas traffic diversion plan was also made final.

He said that construction work of four flyovers will be started at the same time with least effect on traffic and no inconvenience for people whereas service road will be widened after removing encroachments.

Administrator Karachi Muhammad Hussain Syed was informed by Project Director Syed Muhammad Taha that construction of flyover at Water pump will cost 383.37 million rupees and flyover at Aisha Manzil will cost 378.20 million rupees and the length of flyover at Water pump will be 140 meter long with 3 lanes for each side of traffic which will consist of 11.80 meter width whereas the length of flyover at Aisha Manzil will be 590 meter long for both sides.

Project Director of S.M Taufeeq Road Dakhana, Abdul Rehman Shaikh informed that the construction of flyovers at this road will cost 385.5 million rupees and the length of the flyover will be 497 meter long whereas two tracks with 11.80 meter length will be made whereas 5 spans, 78 piles and girders will be made.

Administrator Karachi on this occasion directed engineers and contractors to take special care of quality and time during construction of flyovers.

He said that the construction of these flyovers will maintain traffic flow on this road and provide transportation facilities to the citizens.

 

[A.Rafay]

Four uplift schemes completed in Landhi

KARACHI, Sept 3: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has completed four development projects in Landhi and Korangi areas, according to administrator Mohammad Hussain Syed.

Two new roads are also being constructed in these areas, he added.

The projects are Landhi-Korangi Fish Aquarium, Landhi Sports Complex, 14000 Road and Landhi Medical Complex. They will be inaugurated later in the week. Administrator Syed was speaking on Monday at a meeting with the KMC officials. It was also attended by MNA Asif Hasnain and MPA Sajid Ahmed.

The KMC administrator said that the Landhi Sports Complex used to be a popular sports facility, providing indoor sports facilities like swimming, badminton, table tennis, squash, tennis and basketball for the area’s residents. He said that the project had been abandoned for the past 20 years, but now it has been completed so that the youth of not only Landhi, but also Korangi and Malir, have a sports facility within their reach.

The Landhi-Korangi Zoo has been renovated and a new fish aquarium has been built on the premises. Administrator Syed said that new animals have been brought in the zoo and a good number of people have visited the facility since it has been restored.

The third project to be completed was the Landhi-Korangi Medical Complex and according to Syed, it has ‘new and modern’ equipment, operation theatre and expert physicians.

Though construction on the 14000 Road has finished, the KMC administrator said that it will take two more weeks for the work on 15000 Road to finish. Meanwhile, construction on the Korangi Causeway is also under way to make it double-track road.

Pakistan: Karachi Dredging Project Begins Soon

The dredging project at the Karachi fish harbour will begin soon, according to harbour sources.
This source announced that a tender has been floated to invite keen dredging firms and after evaluation the harbour dredging project should start immediately.
“It will be first dredging of the country chief fish harbour after 20 years as the channel’s bed has almost touched the lowest ever level with a further decrease,” the source concluded.

 

[A.Rafay]

Bhasha dam, KCR project may be affected: Japan no longer considering investing: diplomat

ISLAMABAD: The government of Japan is no longer considering investment in major hydroelectric projects such as Diamer-Bhasha dam and revival of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) because of financial constraints, a Japanese diplomat said on Friday.

The KCR project, costing Rs140.2 billion, was recently approved by the Executive Committee of National Economic Council (Ecnec).

An official of the embassy of Japan told media persons that these projects required huge funding and the government of Japan was not in a position to finance these projects. Responding to a question regarding Bhasha dam, he said that Japan was not interested in investing in the construction phase of the dam. “It may invest in the power generation phase in future, depending on the situation,” he added.

The official also said that Japan International Cooperation Agency (Jica) has held a comprehensive study regarding the viability of Karachi Circular Railway, but had not yet reached any final conclusion, because it “also requires huge funding”.

Pointing out inconsistencies in policies of Pakistani government, he said: “This takes Pakistan out of the scope of Japanese companies.”

He said Japanese firms working in Pakistan were facing a “lot of problems”

According to him, the Board of Investment (BOI), which should act as a facilitator for foreign investors, “has no action plan”.

The government of Japan, he said, had deputed a Japanese expert in the BOI who was working on capacity-building of staff so that they could attract foreign investment.

He said that companies were unable to benefit from Port Qasim as there “is no road network to access the port…absence of infrastructure is another reason”.

The embassy, he said, was receiving complaints from Japanese companies working in Pakistan regarding “absence of any appropriate auto policy, macroeconomic instability, power shortages and recent ban on CNG kits. This has deeper impact on the economic health of companies”.

Despite difficulties, he believed, there was a huge potential to attract foreign investment. “High-skill labour force and growing market is a favourable factor. Similarly, Pakistan has geographical advantage, as it is located on crossroads to India, Afghanistan, Central Asia and the Gulf.”

He said that the government of Japan will soon send business mission to visit Pakistan from October 6-11, to coincide with Expo Pakistan in Karachi.

“This Business Mission will include (representatives of) Japanese companies interested in investing in Pakistan. The objective is to address concerns of companies regarding security, infrastructure, economic policy consistency and lack of marketing.”

 

[qxie]

To be honest, I have been to Karachi for a several times, but one thing concerns me. It is a beautiful city I have to say, and also, as one of the major cities worldwide, the traffic do need some efforts on improvements, I have exprienced two traffic jams and some other types of random chaos on the road.

 

[A.Rafay]

Marble City top priority of SBI: Motiwala
KARACHI - Chairman Sindh Board of Investment (SBI) Muhammad Zubair Motiwala said on Sunday that Marble City was one of the priority projects of the Sindh government and SBI, and that Sindh Stone Development Company (SSDC) was committed towards the successful materialization of this project at the earliest.
He said this at the 3rd board meeting of SSDC held under his chairmanship at SBI office, Karachi. Board of SSDC reviewed the progress of the proposed Marble City.
Motiwala said that this project was also planned to have a dedicated training center which would be a key to providing technical and vocational training for skill development. He also proposed to allocate land for a Trauma Center to cope up any disaster. He said further that the earning would also be increased from improved skill imparted through training by experts in marble and granite sector. Muhammad Zubair Motiwala also proposed to induct Sindh government’s secretary finance as member of SSDC Board, a move unanimously approved by the board.
The provincial government’s Secretary Finance Arif Ahmed Khan said the project was envisaged to be executed as a top priority. Khan further stated that it was important to find out the existing market scenario for determining the future course of action through a detailed technical study for this project.
DG SBI Mohammad Riazuddin extended his full support in expediting the project.
Mr Haroon Rashid, Director SSDC, emphasized on the opportunity of brining in the foreign direct investment at Marble City. He further said that there were possibilities of Joint Venture alliances with foreign companies for production and processing.

 

[A.Rafay]

Work In Progress On Jinnah Terminal Flyover

 

[A.Rafay]

Ibad lays foundation stone of flyover near Ayesha Manzil
KARACHI - Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat-ul-Ebad Khan on Monday laid the foundation stone of second of the eight flyovers scheduled to be constructed at the same time in the city.
The flyover near Ayesha Manzil at Shara-e-Pakistan would be completed in a short period of just four months with an estimated cost of Rs377million.
On this occasion, the governor said Ayesha Manzil was an important intersection as not only the traffic going to and from Sohrab Goth pass through it but a good number of vehicles coming from Nazimabad and Yasinabad also crossed it. He said that the construction of flyover at this intersection would not only improve the traffic flow but also save the precious fuel and time for citizens.
Provincial Minister for Local Government Agha Siraj Durrani, Provincial Minister for Health Dr Sagheer Ahmed, MD KW&SB Misbahuddin Farid, Project Director Syed Muhammad Taha and other high officials were present on this occasion. Sindh Governor said that projects of eight flyovers were being simultaneously launched in Karachi out of which four would be constructed on various important intersections of Shara-e-Pakistan. He said work on Jinnah Terminal flyover was going on speedily and these two projects would be completed as scheduled. Governor Sindh further directed the concerned officials to carry out work on this flyover on round the clock basis.
KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed, while giving a briefing, said that traffic flow on the busy Shara-e-Pakistan would improve with the completion of this project and it had been made sure that the citizens were provided with alternate ways before the start of work.
Syed informed the governor that it was first time in Karachi that eight flyovers were being constructed at one time. The other three flyovers at Shara-e-Pakistan includes a flyover near Water Pump Intersection with a cost of Rs493million, flyover near Dak Khana Intersection costing Rs472million and the flyover near Teen Hatti Intersection with a cost of Rs266.65million. Administrator Karachi said all available sources would be utilized in the construction of these eight flyovers in the city and all efforts would be made to finish all these projects on time.

 

[A.Rafay]

Ibad opens fish aquarium at Korangi Zoo

Governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan opened the biggest fish aquarium of Karachi in Landhi-Korangi Zoo on Tuesday. He was accompanied by KMC Administrator Muhammad Hussain Syed, Metropolitan Commissioner Matanat Ali Khan, Senior Director Culture, Sports and Recreation Muhammad Rehan Khan and other officers. The Fish Aquarium in Landhi-Korangi Zoo had been established with a cost of Rs 30million where colorful fishes of over 50 different species were kept in 48 glass aquariums and 90 percent of these fishes were imported from other countries.

Governor of Sindh on this occasion stressing the need of providing more recreation and sports facilities with the infrastructure development works in the city expressed hope that the renovated Landhi-Korangi Zoo and Fish Aquarium would provide good recreation facilities to people in this area.

He said this being the second zoo in Karachi which had been renovated and more animals and birds inducted to make it more attractive and informative for the citizens. Senior Director Culture Sports and Recreation while giving briefing to Governor Sindh about Landhi-Korangi Zoo said that it was established in 1974 on a 7 acres piece of land. The construction of fish aquarium here started in 2004 and since then it was delayed.-PR

 

[A.Rafay]

Chundrigar Road to be improved to int’l standards

KARACHI - Commissioner of Karachi Roshan Ali Shaikh said Thursday that the I.I. Chundrigar Road in downtown Karachi would be improved and developed in accordance with the international standards.
He was chairing a meeting regarding the developing of I.I. Chundrigar Road under the Governor’s Package.
The commissioner further pointed out that steps were being taken to beautify the I.I. Chundrigar Road and Saddar in order to make both these places attractive for local and foreign investors.
He said that a food street would also be set up for provision of quality food to those who work in national and multi-national firms located at the said road.
He stated that the old buildings at I.I. Chundrigar Road would be renovated in their original shape.

 

[W.11]

ii chundrigar road was recently renovated?