With WB-funded project, Murad hopes to give Karachi a new look

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday announced the provincial government’s plans for the successful execution of the World Bank-funded ‘Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Project’ that is aimed at restoration of the metropolis’ Old City areas.

Presiding over a meeting held to discuss the project, Murad said he had both short and long-term plans in store to transform Karachi which include road infrastructure development, restoring old buildings, building more parks and implementing a proper traffic management system.

“This is why I am going to launch the World Bank funded project which is bound to give this city a new look and a new face – a face of development, peace and prosperity,” the CM stated.

The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Jam Khan Shoro, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Syed Sardar Shah, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Planning and Development Chairman Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Transport Saeed Awan, Additional IG Traffic Mushtaq Maher, Secretary Local government Ramzan Awan, KNIP Project Director Khair Mohammad Kalwar and others.

The chief minister said the WB, on the request of the Sindh government, had carried out a Karachi City Diagnostic (KCD) to assist the provincial government in implementing the Karachi Transformation Strategy (KTS) through short and long-term engagements.

According to the KCD, around $10 billion were required to overcome the city’s infrastructural gaps within a decade, he said.    Speaking at the meeting, chairman P&D said that as a short-term plan, the international financial institution agreed to support KNIP as it focuses on fast, low cost and high impact interventions to address city’s emerging needs.

He said the project would serve as a means to reengage with the WB and build a long-term partnership with the Sindh government. “As of now, the KNIP stands approved by the ECNEC (Executive Committee of National Economic Council), whereas a loan agreement between the provincial government and the WB has also been signed.”

The project’s director while giving a presentation to the chief minister said the project would cost around $98 million; of the estimated amount, an expenditure of $12 million would be borne by the Sindh government.

Discussing the projects Component-I, Public Space and Mobility Improvements, the project director stated that it includes uplifting the Saddar, Malir and Korangi areas. To improve mobility in the areas, Murad directed the city traffic police chief to work with the project director to devise traffic plans for the areas.

The city commissioner was also directed to start removing encroachments from Saddar, which falls under Phase-I of the project, so that restoration work could begin within a month. Murad also directed the project director to start inviting tenders for reconstruction work within two weeks.

KCR groundbreaking

Planning on performing the Karachi Circular Project’s groundbreaking on December 25, this year, - on the occasion of Quaid-e-Azam’s birthday –Murad directed the provincial transportation department to make all out efforts to float international tenders for the project by October.

He issued these directives while presiding over a meeting held to discuss the KCR project at the CM House. Murad said the KCR is a project of utmost importance and has been included, after the Sindh government’s constant efforts, in the list of developmental works being carried out under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor project.

Murad directed the planning and development department’s chairman to expedite the paperwork and have the project approved by ECNEC.On this the chief minister directed Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem to expedite the paper work for placing the project in ECNEC. “I want the international tenders for the project to be invited by October 2017.”

He constituted a task force to formulate a plan of action and take immediate measures for the removal of encroachments.The team will be headed by the city commissioner and includes all deputy commissioners, metropolitan commissioner Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, director general Karachi Development Authority, director general Sindh Mass Transit Cell, managing director Karachi Urban Transport Corporation, municipal commissioners of all DMCs and DIG Karachi.

The team is also to propose a compensation package for the people affected by the project. Murad said the initial estimated cost of the KCR is around $2 billion and the Sindh government would release the mobilisation cost so that work could begin in December.

Sindh Mental Authority

Around four years after the relevant legislation was passed, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Friday approved the establishment of the Sindh Mental Health Authority and appointed Pakistan Peoples Party Senator Karim Ahmed Khawaja as the authority’s first chairman.

According to the CM House’s spokesman, the health secretary will also hold additional charge as secretary of the newly established authority. The Sindh Mental Health Act, which was passed by the provincial assembly on September 19, 2013, aims at regulating the matters relating to the mentally disordered persons with respect to their care, treatment, management of their property, and other related matters.