Reports about Shahrah-e-Bhutto’s incompletion baseless: Ghani

The reports that emerged on social media and in a section of the mainstream media claiming that the newly launched first phase of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway (Shahrah-e-Bhutto) is still incomplete have been termed “completely baseless and wrong”.

Sindh Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani denied the reports while talking to media persons at the provincial assembly building on Monday. He clarified that all the entry and exit points of Qayyumabad and Korangi on Shahrah-e-Bhutto are open.

Ghani said that a single closed passage that is being criticised in a section of the media is being built for connectivity between Quaidabad and the M-9 motorway that is still under construction.

He said Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway is a splendid project having several benefits for Karachiites. Two days ago the first phase of the expressway was inaugurated for fast travel between Qayyumabad to Shah Faisal Colony and the airport, he added. He also said that the work to expand the expressway till Quaidabad would be completed over the next two months, while the project would be fully constructed till Kathore by December.

The minister said he inspected the entire first phase of the project earlier in the day, and verified that no exit or entry points for connectivity to Sharea Faisal, Shah Faisal Town, Qayyumabad and Korangi are closed.

He said that only minor adjustments were made to properly fix the railings, stressing that except for this slight maintenance work, no new construction work was carried out on the newly inaugurated portion of the expressway.

He also said the route and direction signs installed along the expressway are of international standard, and follow the signboard pattern used for the motorways. However, he added, the project director has been asked to install signboards with directions that can be easily understood by the expressway users. He stressed that misleading and baseless videos about the new expressway not be shared on social media and in the mainstream media to misguide people.

He reiterated that motorcyclists should avoid using the expressway because it is meant only for high-speed travel by four-wheelers. He said that small vehicles can travel on the expressway with a maximum speed limit of 100km per hour, and large vehicles with a maximum speed limit of 90km per hour.

He said motorcyclists should avoid using the expressway to avoid collisions. The government will strictly enforce restrictions on rickshaws and motorbikes on the expressway, he added. He also said that 1122 ambulances, police vans and private security guards would be stationed along the expressway.

The rest of the phases of the expressway are still under construction, so its users can see vehicles involved in the building operations, he added. Ghani appealed to motorists to show a positive attitude towards the new expressway while considering its benefits for them.