Mayor lays foundation stone for project to renovate Orangi roads

Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Thursday laid the foundation stone for paving work of various roads and streets in Orangi Town.

Speaking at the ceremony, he said the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was making every possible effort to solve the problems of the people under the direction of its chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.

The journey of the development of Karachi, he said, was going on in full swing. He added that 55,000 square feet of roads and streets would be paved at a cost of Rs80 million in Orangi Town where water and sewerage infrastructure improvement was also among his priorities.

Wahab said development work in the suburban areas of Karachi was on the rise and the PPP believed in the politics of service without discrimination, which was why it had started a series of development works throughout the city and wanted to give relief to the people. “If everyone works together, the city will improve,” he remarked.

Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad, Deputy Parliamentary Leader of PPP in City Council Dil Muhammad, the mayor’s spokesperson for political affairs Karamullah Waqasi and others were also present on the occasion.

The mayor said the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf town chairman and local body representatives were also with him at the ceremony. The roads and streets in Orangi Town were being paved under a Asian Development Bank scheme and the project would be completed as soon as possible, he added.

He said the parks in Orangi Town were also being improved and Afaq Shaheed Park had been restored so that the people of the area could get better recreational facilities. Other parks would also be made green and equipped with modern facilities, he added. “We are working under an effective strategy to provide the basic needs of the citizens,” he said.

In response to a question, Wahab replied that a rabies control centre had been set up near the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation’s fire station in Orangi Town. He said that as far as the manhole covers were concerned, unfortunately they got stolen along with irons from bridges on the roads of Karachi.

He said it was the job of the police to control the narcotics mafia and the top police officials along with the chief minister had also been told about heroin addicts stealing manhole covers.

Wahab said the special branch of the police was effective and the new home minister would improve the situation.