Sindh governor inaugurates three federally-funded bridges in Karachi

Sindh Governor Imran Ismail on Saturday inaugurated three newly built bridges in District Central of Karachi whose construction was funded by the federal government.

Prime Minister Imran Khan was scheduled to come to Karachi to open the projects but his visit to the city was cancelled due to bad weather in the federal capital.

The bridges have been built on the road traffic intersections of Sakhi Hassan, Five Star, and KDA Chowrangi in District Central. Karachi Mayor Wasim Akhtar, chairman of Centre-run Sindh Infrastructure Development Company Limited (SIDCL) Samar Ali Khan, SIDCL Chief Executive Officer Sualeh Ahmed Farooqui, and MNAs and MPAs of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan were also present at the inauguration.

The SIDCL carried out work on the three bridges under the Public Sector Development Programme under the aegis of the cabinet division of the federal government.

The bridges constructed at the Sakhi Hassan and KDA Chowrangi intersections are 700-metre long, whereas the bridge at the Five Star intersection has the length of 675 metres. All the three bridges have separate tracks for two-way vehicular movement, each carrying three lanes. A total of Rs2.4 billion was spent to build the bridges. The roads around these bridges are also being constructed.

In addition to this, the first phase of the reconstruction of Manghopir Road having length of four kilometres has been completed after Rs950 million was spent on the project. A sum of Rs650 million was also spent to reconstruct Nishtar Road in the city. These roads were renovated to facilitate the movement of people from residential areas to industrial estates in the city.

Addressing the ceremony, Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said the development of entire Sindh, including Karachi being the economic hub of the country, was among the priorities of Prime Minister Imran Khan.

He said the development projects had been conceived to revive the basic civic infrastructure in the city, adding that the federal government realised the importance of Karachi’s development as the city was the economic backbone of the entire country.

The governor maintained that the prime minister had taken personal interest in carrying out those development projects in the city. He said although some additional civil work around the bridges would be completed in the next six to eight months, the inauguration of the bridges meant that they would be open to the public immediately.

He said Karachi would be reshaped, once Rs162 development package announced by the prime minister for the city would be fully implemented.

Ismail said the first phase of the Green Line section of the Bus Rapid Transit system had been completed and it would start operations after the procurement of buses for the project. He added that work was in progress on the second phase of the Green Line project.

He remarked that launching of these development projects would satisfy those who used to question the focus of the prime minister on the development needs in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, the mayor expressed gratitude to the prime minister for funding those projects in the city, saying that they would facilitate the vehicular movement in Karachi.

Akhtar also praised the governor for taking personal interest in the projects, which ensured their completion.