The Drigh Road underpass would be inaugurated on July 20, announced Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah during his visit to oversee the construction work of the underpasses bring constructed on the Drigh Road and Submarine Chowk, on Sunday.
With the construction yet to be completed, Minister for Local Government Jam Khan Shoro was directed to engage more workforce to finish the schemes as per the inauguration schedule.
Constructed at a cost of around Rs663 million, Murad said the Drigh Road underpass would considerably ease the traffic flow heading towards Jinnah Terminal from Sharea Faisal.
“We have revamped the entire Sharea Faisal by widening its roads and remodelling the Baloch Colony flyover,” the CM said, adding, that new street lights installed along the road and construction of footpaths would further add to the beauty of the city’s main artery.
Shoro, while briefing the chief minister about the underpass’ progress claimed that he had ordered to begin the construction on war footings after it was stalled owing to the two-day heavy rains. He added that the scheme would be completed by the end of this month.
The CM observed that he would inaugurate the underpass on July 20 and called for making all necessary arrangements before the date.
Karachi Package programme director Niaz Soomro and programme manager Khalid briefed the chief minister on the project’s technical aspects and the drainage mechanism.
Earlier, Murad visited the under construction underpass at the Submarine Chowk. This underpass is being constructed at a cost of Rs707 million to smooth the traffic flow between Boat Basin and Sunset Boulevard.
Murad said he would inaugurate this underpass by the end of August and directed the local government minister to chalk out a work plan accordingly.
He directed the project’s director to widen the road along the underpass by reducing the size of the footpaths near the anti-narcotics office and the one on the office’ opposite side so as to ease the traffic coming from Boat Basin and Gizri.
The CM also visited the Sunset Boulevard roundabout to examine the possibility of constructing a flyover to connect Gizri from Sunset Boulevard. In this way, he observed that the corridor from Gizri to Sunset Boulevard could be made signal free.
The Karachi Package director was asked to present a proposal for the project. “The road connecting Boat basin to Korangi through the Sunset Boulevard can also made signal free,” the CM observed.
He said he was working on the plan while also simultaneously looking over Lyari Expressway’s completion, which he said would also be made functional soon. The concerned traffic police officials were also issued directives to present Murad with a proper plan. “This would reduce the pressure of heavy traffic from Punjab Chowrangi and Sunset Boulevard,” the CM observed.
