Unchecked growth of Karachi wrecked infrastructure: Murad Ali Shah

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that the unchecked growth of Karachi has created a lot of problems such as ruining infrastructure, emergence of slums along the storm water drains that had created worst law and order situation. This he said while addressing the inauguration ceremony of Sadequain Underpass at Golimar on Tuesday, said a statement.
The Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar, Deputy Mayor Dr Vohra, Senior Government and KMC officers and others attended the ceremony. He said that the growth of the city of Karachi was unplanned. Lots of new living areas have emerged without town planning. Therefore, the huge pressure has developed on infrastructure of the city.
The drains are over flowing; water supply is not enough to provide water to each and every household. "Top of it, the worst law and order has further aggravated the situation, as a result the government instead of focusing on the development of the infrastructure engaged in fighting against terrorists," he said.
He added, now things have improved considerably and the government after crushing the terrorists has started focusing on development of the infrastructure of the city. He said that Karachi is the capital of the provincial government, apart from it, this city not only provides maximum revenue to the Sindh government but it contributes a lot in the national exchequer.
Therefore it becomes the right of this city and its people to have all the facilities not basic but the advanced for which he is striving hard. Syed Murad Ali Shah said that he has launched Rs 10 billions development programme in the city under which 18 different schemes are in progress.
"I know almost in each and every area roads are dug up to lay water supply and drainage lines and their reconstruction," he said and added this has caused serious traffic issues for which he rendered apology to the people of this city. He said "when you want me to give you a peaceful and developed city you will have to support me by enduring the issues of traffic jams," he said and added he has directed Traffic police to regulate the traffic and they are on their feet in the city during peak hours.
He said that he was trying to complete all the uplift schemes in the city and in other parts of the province well before next general elections of 2018 so that nobody could accuse his government of bribing the voters by giving them development projects.
The CM Sindh said that he has worked out a plan to launch grater bulk water supply project, K-IV phase-II before the presentation of next budget so that by the end of 2018 phase-I start functioning and phase-II reach near completion.
Addressing Mayor Karachi Waseem Akhtar, the chief minister said "today I am giving you my powers, you may exercise them for the benefit of the people and development of this city," he said and added "we all have to work together for the people of this city."
Syed Murad Ali Shah said that the other big issue of the city was garbage collection. "This is not a big issue if we utilise all our efforts and energy the city would turn neat and clean," he said and went on saying that garbage collection and cleanliness of two districts of Karachi, South and East, have been privatised and from February the work would start.
Earlier, Local government Minister Jam Khan Shoro briefed the chief minister on the Golimar Underpass which has been renamed as Sadeqain Underpass. He said in his briefing that project has been completed at a cost of Rs 450.734 million within a period of seven months.
The length of the underpass is 377.13 meter while the width of the project is 7.5 meter. It would connect Golimar with Nazimabad, Banarus and other areas. He said that the project was originally started as flyover but with the launching of Green Line RBT project it was redesigned into underpass.
This is why the project took longer in its completion but with the approval of underpass it has been completed within eight months. He thanked the chief minister for taking his personal interest in the development of the city. The Mayor Karachi, Waseem Akhtar welcoming the chief minister said that the people were facing hardships due to the prolonged construction work of the underpass. Thanks to God that it has been completed and now the people of the area would take comfort and find convenience.