Sindh government launches Rs 9958 million Karachi-Thatta dual carriageway
KARACHI: The Sindh Government has launched the mega development project in road sector by signing concession agreement for construction of Karachi-Thatta Dual carriage way with a total cost of Rs. 9,958 million under the Public Private Partnership (PPP) mode of investment.
The total cost of this project Rs. 9958 million includes Rs. 7,499 million as total construction cost and Rs 2460 million as the total project development cost.As per financial structure, 70 per cent of the project cost that is Rs 6,971 million will be arranged through commercial loan and the remaining 30 per cent Rs. 2,987 million will be contributed through equity by both partners in which 53.3 per cent equal to Rs. 1,593 million will be contributed by F.W.O whereas the remaining 46.7 per cent equal to Rs. 1,394 million will be borne by the Government of Sindh.
Sindh CM Syed Qaim Ali Shah, Sindh Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Sindh Minister for Information and Local Government Sharjeel Inam Memon, Director General F.W.O Muhammad Afzal Khan, Director Plans F.W.O Brigadier Sultan, Additional Chief Secretary P&D Muhammad Waseem, Secretary Finance Sohail Rajput, officers from Provincial Works and Services, Finance Department, Board of Investment attended and witnessed the signing ceremony.While Sindh Government's Chief Engineer Works and Services Syed Pervaiz Ali Shah and Director Plans F.W.O Brigadier Sultan signed agreement on behalf of their organisations.
Addressing the ceremony, the CM Sindh said that Karachi-Thatta dual carriage- way was a most important project which is to be linked with Thatta to Mithi road onward to Islamkot and Thar coal field areas, carrying overall road length to 296 kilometres.
He said that it is also important that we have signed the agreement, with the F.W.O which according to him was a very much technically sound organisation of this country. By virtue of its capacity, the FWO will complete this project in between one and half year or before.
He said that this dual carriage way will serve millions of commuters, travelling along Karachi-Thatta and will open new avenues of income, employment, trade and investment opportunities in the area through creation of soft infrastructure for social development.
Sindh Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah while addressing the ceremony said that the PPP project being initiated under the innovative ideas of Peoples Party leadership are not only limited to the infrastructure projects but it includes projects from the other sectors including energy, health and education Departments.
He further added that the Education Department recently handed over the management of three schools of Khairpur to a well reputed education management organisation under PPP mode in the process of improving the education at local level in Sindh.
The Health Department lately signed a services and management contract with reputable medical institutions including Indus Hospital, Dr. Ziauddin and Aman Foundation for uplifting majors Hospitals in Sindh.
Similarly Sindh Government also initiated Nooriabad Power project of 100 KV under PPP mode. He said that we have also successfully completed the Hyderabad- Mirpurkhas dual carriage road under PPP mode of investment and also planning other mega development project for infrastructure development.
Director General FWO Muhammad Afzal Khan while addressing the ceremony said that presently FWO was executing many mega infrastructure development projects including maintenance of Lahore - Islamabad Motorway.
He said that a mega project of M-9 Motorway from Karachi to Hyderabad is being started within month's time and would be completed before the stipulated period, similarly Karachi-Thatta dual road would also be completed in a year after starting the work on ground.
He said that financial close for the project is expected by the end of the July 2015 and after that very soon we expect to arrange ground breaking ceremony of this project. He said that FWO shall design, finance build, operate and transfer the project and it is also required to operate and maintain the dual carriage-way throughout the life of concession period of 25 years.
Source