Ghani promises measures to accelerate work on development projects in Karachi

Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani announced on Sunday that the upcoming fiscal year’s budget of the province will include measures to accelerate development projects in Karachi, with a focus on providing maximum relief to the public.

Speaking during a visit to various parts of the city, he said that rising traffic pressure in Karachi would be eased through the development of alternative routes. He emphasised that new projects would be designed to reduce travel distances and improve accessibility for citizens.

Accompanied by senior officials, including Special Secretary Technical Ghani Sheikh, Mega Karachi Project Director Aftab Chandio, Shahrah-e-Bhutto Project Director Niaz Soomro and Karachi Development Authority (KDA) Project Manager Junaid, the local government minister inspected several ongoing projects. These included the construction of Shahrah-e-Bhutto, Korangi Causeway, Jam Sadiq Bridge and other roads.

Officials from the Karachi Mega Project and Shahrah-e-Bhutto briefed the local government minister on current projects and shared detailed feasibility reports for schemes proposed in the upcoming Annual Development Programme (ADP).

Ghani stressed the need for completing the ongoing projects under the Karachi Mega Project and KDA as quickly as possible to alleviate hardships faced by the public. He directed that feasibility studies for link roads and supporting infrastructure be designed to minimise traffic congestion.

He also disclosed that several new mega projects were being planned for inclusion in the 2025 ADP and were expected to be completed within a year. “These projects must be designed in a way that ensures direct benefits to the people of Karachi,” he said.

He instructed the project directors to ensure that schemes scheduled to conclude in the current fiscal year were completed by the end of June. Those extending into the next fiscal year must be expedited to ensure that they were finished by December, Ghani said.

He noted that Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had been taking a keen interest in Karachi’s development and issued special directives to ensure the timely completion of all projects in line with public expectations.