Daily Times

Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has directed the P&D department to finalize the construction work of Malir Expressway, the first phase so that he could open it for traffic at the end of next month.

He expressed these views while chairing a review meeting here at the CM House on Friday. The meeting was attended by Minister P&D Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Secretary Energy Musadiq Khan, Chairman P&D Najam Shah, Secretary Finance Fayaz Jatoi, Secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, PPP Unit CEO Asad Zamin. Karachi Metropolitan, being the mega/biggest city of Pakistan has the potential to accommodate and attract people from all over the country by providing jobs, business opportunities and housing facilities, the CM said and went on saying resultantly the population of the city has increased tremendously.

Murad Shah said that due to the phenomenal population growth, and increase in vehicular traffic, congestion and traffic jams issues arise on major roads of the city, hence road users are facing inconveniences/hazards like wastage of time and fuel, environmental pollution (Noise and smoke) and accidents.

The CM said that Karachi has two seaports, from where heavy vehicular traffic generates for the supply of oil, and other imported goods to upcountry, thereby adding an extra volume of heavy traffic on city roads up to the superhighway (Motorway M9) and National Highway N-5.

Considering the situation in view, the Government of Sindh has decided to provide the shortest alternate route to connect the Motorway/Super Highway with the city centre, and after a thorough study, it is decided that the best option is the Construction of a 6-lane Dualized Expressway along the left bank of Malir River, starting from KPT Interchange near Qayoomabad and ending at Motorway (M9) at 50km, at Kathore.

Malir Expressway starts from Jam Sadiq Bridge and ends at Kathore. It has 100 meters right of way and six lanes with three bridges and one underpass.

The CM was told that the first segment of the Malir expressway, starting from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Quaidabad, 15 km, has achieved 85 per cent of the total work. For Segment Two, from Quaidabad to Kathore (38 km), 35 per cent work has been completed.

The chief minister directed the Minister P&D Nasir Shah to personally visit the ongoing construction Malir Expressway and get the work on the Quaidabad Bridge, Shah Faisal Interchange, and EBM Interchange works completed so that it (the Malir Expressway) first segment could be opened for traffic by the end of next month. The CM was told that slope protection and the apron of the Expressway along the Malir River have been developed properly.

Tourism: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that tourism has played an important role in promoting peace.

Chief Minister said, ‘Today, World Tourism Day is being celebrated under the theme “Tourism and Peace’ citing that Sindh has the best opportunities for tourism.