Non-payment of ADP funds delaying completion of projects: mayor Wasim Akhtar

Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar has said a nine-month delay in different development works in the city was due to a late release of the Annual Development Program’s quarter funds by the Sindh government.

He said this while addressing media on a visit to UC 34, Korangi, on Monday to inspect road construction and other works. Deputy Mayor Arshad Hasan, MPA Ghulam Jilani, Vice Chairman District Municipal Corporation (DMC) Ahmer Ali, Chairman Works Committee Hasan Naqvi and other elected representatives and officers were also present on the occasion.

The remaining work on the ongoing schemes was now being carried out after the release of the first quarter’s fund, he said. Due to the delay in the release of the payment, citizens were having a lot of hardships, he added.

According to the government rules, no money could be spent in Karachi without obtaining the approval of the elected council of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC).

The mayor said different development works in the area were being carried out at a cost of Rs20million, which included the construction of a 1.5km road and two culverts on a drain. He said the drain would also be cleaned and the sidewalls constructed. He said the district had been suffering due to the non-supply of water for the past 25 years and roads and drains were also in a very bad condition.

He said that Karachi had three main problems — water shortage, sewerage and lack of transport — for which he had submitted written requests to the chief minister Sindh, Syed Murad Ali Shah, but nothing had been done so far.

The prime minister had also been informed about these issues several times, he said, adding that the development works in the remits of the KMC could only be done with the approval of the city council, an elected body of the city.

The provincial or the federal government could do these works if they wanted, but the rules were very clear in this regard. “Only the elected city council can give permission for these works,” he said.