Daily Times

KARACHI: The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) has yet to hand over Gujjar Nullah revamping project to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), in defiance of the Water Commission directives, officials of KMC said on Saturday.

The Gujjar Nullah project office had been closed down due to lack of funds and poor policies for revamp/rehabilitation of the Nullah.

The project was initiated in 2007 on directions of former nazim Mustafa Kamal. The LGD and the KMC were co-partners in the project. During that period, millions of rupees were allegedly siphoned off without any result.

Due to delaying tactics, the cost of the project has escalated, besides the project.

Several officials were of the view that the civic entity was ready to start work on the project. Originally, the project completion date was set for December 2018, but the officials said that it seemed increasingly impossible to meet the deadline.

The construction work of Gujjar Nullah has been initiated with a total cost of Rs 1,780 million. The Water Commission has already directed Mayor Waseem Akhtar and other officials to ensure that civic infrastructure including sewerage pipes and telecommunication lines installed paralled to the drain are shifted to a different location.

The Chief Secretary has also been directed to inspect all drains of the city for sound execution of development schemes.

The issue cropped up when the Sindh Local Government Department was handed over the 23-kilometre-long Gujjar Nullah project of the KMC to KDA for completion.

Non-availability of funds and failure to appoint a consultant on the project

were given as reasons behind delay in shifting of civic infrastructure.

KDA Chief Engineer Ram Chand claimed that work on project had been initiated and the authority had issued work order.

The building contractor of the project claimed that delay could further escalate the cost of concrete structure, roads construction, sideways lighting system, pedestrian sideways and green belt, while the present cost was Rs 890 million.

Published in Daily Times, June 10^th 2018.