All KMC offices to have disability access ramps, says Waseem Akhtar

Mayor says private organisations will also be pushed

to ensure better access facilities 

Wheelchair access ramps will be installed at the head office of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the authority's various other offices in the city, while private organisations will also be pushed to ensure this facility is provided at every building, said Karachi Mayor Waseem Akhtar on Wednesday.

"Efforts will be made to implement and enhance the job quota for people with disabilities in the government organisations," said the mayor while addressing a ‘Seminar on Independent Living’ organised by the Pakistan Disabled Welfare Association  at a local hotel.

KMC municipal services director Masood Alam, representatives of organisations working for disabled persons and office bearers of the Pakistan Disabled Welfare Association (PDWA) attended the seminar.

The mayor said: “We want to solve problems being faced by the disabled people and this programme of enabling disabled people to live independently is a commendable effort by the organisers.”

Addressing the disabled persons at the gathering, he said they could meet him directly for their matters related to KMC.

Akhtar said he would inspect the ramps installed in the KMC head office and ensure its availability in other KMC offices.

 

Infrastructure development

The mayor has directed the engineering department to ensure timely completion of infrastructure development projects that have been planned to be completed in the current fiscal year, including the Provincial ADP, the District ADP Projects and the Mega Schemes for Karachi.

He was presiding over a meeting of the engineering department during which a detailed briefing was given about the projects to be carried out in the city.

The meeting was attended by technical services director general Shahab Anwer, chief engineers of different zones, consultants and project directors.

It was informed in the meeting that a total of 249 schemes worth Rs5000.407million would be completed under district ADP which includes works on infrastructure development in six districts of Karachi, including projects of road construction, repairing and other works in education, health and education and culture and sports.

The mayor said priority should be given to such schemes which could benefit the citizens of Karachi.