Murad orders early completion of Orange Line, Landhi Medical College

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the provincial transport department to complete the Abdul Sattar Edhi Line Bus Rapid Transit System (BRTS), also known as Orange Line BRTS, by removing all bottlenecks such as shifting of utility lines.

He gave the direction on Sunday during his visit to various locations of the city, including the site of the Orange Line BRTS in Orangi Town. Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani and Transport Minister Awais Shah accompanied him during the visit.

In Orangi, the transport minister informed the CM that although the Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited, K-Electric, the Karachi Water & Sewerage Board (KWSB) and the Sui Southern Gas Company had removed their lines that were in the project’s way but they still had not provided new connections due to which the paused work could not be completed.

Awais added that leakage of water from lines and overflowing sewage also hindered the completion of the Orange Line project. He also complained about people and garbage-collecting vehicles dumping garbage on and along the BRT corridor.

The CM directed the local government minister to resolve the issues related to water leakage and garbage lifting. He also told him to remove those local government officers who were not performing and appoint efficient officers in their place.

The Abdul Sattar Edhi Line is 3.88 kilometres long and the entire project also includes four bus stations and one bus terminal. The project was started in April 2017 and its cost has been estimated at Rs643.35 million.

The transport minister informed the CM that land for the construction of the bus terminal had been acquired from local transporters and police. Murad directed Awais to expedite work on the project so that the Orange Line could be connected with the Green Line at Board Office.

Medical college

The CM also went to the Landhi area where he visited the site of the under-construction Landhi Medical College.

Murad was told that the project was started some four years ago for Rs1.2 billion in which the revenue component had been estimated at Rs500 million. He was informed that the government had released Rs650 million for the project and the entire amount had been utilised, after which 15 per cent of work was left to be completed.

The CM was told that Rs150 million was required to complete the project, to which he directed the finance department to release the amount within a week. The completion of the college would benefit the local people of Landhi and the rest of the city, he said, adding that it must be completed within the next five months.

He directed Korangi Deputy Commissioner Shaharyar Memon to keep him regularly updated about the progress in the project.

Flyovers

During visits to two under-construction flyovers in Korangi No 5 and Korangi No 2 ½, the CM was informed by Project Director Khalid Masroor that the cost of each flyover was Rs335 million, they were each 500 metres long and they would make the entire 12000 Road signal-free. Murad directed the project director to complete both the flyovers by September 2019. “These flyovers are most important and would resolve the traffic problems in the Korangi area,” he said.

The CM also expressed his displeasure at the unsatisfactory cleanliness work and solid waste collection in the Korangi district. He directed the local government minister to take action against officers of the District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Korangi for their failure to keep the district neat and clean.

Media talk

Talking to media persons during the visit, the CM said under the Karachi Neighbourhood Improvement Project, a road from the Pakistan Coastguard to Ibrahim Hyderi would be constructed for Rs500 million.

“Today I have visited Korangi Creek, Mehran Highway and adjoining areas so that it can be connected with main roads for smooth flow of traffic,” he said.

He added that he had started to regularly visit various areas of the city. “This is a beautiful city and we all have to make it more beautiful, neat and clean by demonstrating civic sense.”

Responding to a question, he said his government had been carrying out schemes in Korangi but not a single flag of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) could be seen flying in the district, which showed that the PPP served the public without any intention of gaining political advantage.

Making a dig at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), Murad said the two were fighting for taking the credit for water lines that were laid by the KWSB in Sector 33, Block E of Korangi. He claimed that when the work was in progress, MPAs of both the parties reached there to install their parties’ flags so that they could take the credit for it.

“Look at their sincerity and attitude that they [MQM-P and PTI MPAs] stopped the work because they had claimed to have started the work and when they could not convince each other, they [took out] guns [against] each other,” he remarked, adding that this was how the two parties were serving the people of Karachi.

“We are sincere to this city,” he said, adding that the PPP had not bagged a single seat from District Korangi but the Sindh government had launched development works in the area.

To a question about preparations for the expected heavy rain, the CM said he had held a number of meetings to work out a plan to dispose of rainwater in case of heavy rain. “The local government department, KMC and DMCs are ready to handle any situation,” he said.

Commenting on the arrest of Irfan Siddiqui, who had served as an adviser to former prime minister Nawaz Sharif, Murad said the PTI government had arrested a senior citizen which was deplorable. He added that Siddiqui was 78 years old and he was handcuffed though he was a retired professor.

The PTI govt was setting new records of tyranny against its opponents and they arrested a MNA in a narcotics case, the CM said. “This is how the PTI government and people respect people.”

Murad said PTI MPA Haleem Adil Shaikh was wanted by the Anti-Corruption Establishment which had summoned him for an investigation. “We are demonstrating restraint against them and they would start screaming if we decided to handle them with an iron hand.”

Commenting on the clash at the Teen Talwar area between PTI supporters led by MNA Alamgir Khan and PPP supporters, the CM said a PTI man kept throwing trash on the gates of others. “This is how he [Alamgir] is serving the people of this city,” he remarked, adding that if he was sincere in resolving the issues of Karachi, he must have extended help to the government and to the relevant DMCs.