KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that K-IV, the mega water project of Karachi, had turned into a reality because of sincerity of the provincial government. “Earlier, it was a dream and it would have never seen the day of the light had it not been redesigned and included all the missing components of the project,” he said on Saturday while talking to media just after receiving presentation from Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) Commanding Officer Lt Col Usman Aftab at Keenjhar, the starting point of the project. Sindh Minister for Local Government Saeed Ghani, Director General FWO Major General Inam Hyder Malik, Managing Director Karachi Water & Sewerage Board Khalid Shaikh, Project Director K-IV Asad Zamin, Deputy Commissioner Thatta Mohammad Nawaz Sohoo and senior officers of FWO and KWSB were also present on this occasion. The chief minister said that K-IV project was ill-conceived in which major components such as a bridge on Nooriabad-Thatta road on the canal, 50-MW power plants, small and big bridges, land acquisition, pumping stations were not included. “When the project started the cost of the project went up and up because necessary components were being included.” Shah said that K-IV Project was planned for providing 650 MGD (1200 Cusecs) water supply to Karachi to be implemented in three phases. The feasibility study for the project was carried out in July 2007 which finalised the route of K-IV project (alternate route from the existing water supply system of KW&SB via Dhabeji). “There were nine options, of them the alternate route, which was Route No. 8 was selected based on being technically most feasible and most economical,” he said. He recalled that the PC-1 for K-IV Project (Phase-1) for 260 MGD was prepared in 2010. “However, due to delay in processing and approvals, it was finally approved in the year 2014 by ECNEC. Actual execution of K-IV Project (Phase-1) started in June, 2016 means nine years after the feasibility study was finalized,” Shah said. The PC-I of K-IV project was prepared for 130 MGD in September 2007 for Rs 15.81 billion. It [PC-I] was revised for 130 MGD in May 2010 for Rs 19.29 billion. In may 2011 it was revised again and made for 260 MGD and based on preliminary design with estimated cost of Rs. 29.76 billion was submitted for approval. The PDWP approved the PC-I at 33 percent cost sharing between federal government, Sindh government and and CDGK. The CDWP rationalizedPC-I and the estimation were carried out in 2010 at market rates. The PC-I of Rs. 25.55 Billion was approved by CDWPIn Jul 2014 with 50 percent cost (Rs.25.55 Billion) between Sindh and the federal governments. The ECNEC also approved the PC-I and the administrative approval was issued by Sindh government In Aug 2014. The Sindh government awarded K-IV Project (Phase-1) to Frontier Works Organization (FWO) in March 16, 2016 with a completion time frame of 24 months within PC-1 cost. Published in Daily Times, November 19th 2018.