Daily Times

KARACHI: After a couple of years of negligence, finally the Sindh government has launched the rehabilitation of the most neglected University Road on Sunday.

Citizens on Sunday morning witnessed sudden movements of heavy machinery in the area near Baitul Mukaram Masjid in Gulshan-e-Iqbal. Much to their surprise, right after three to four hours of moving the equipments, the Chief Minister (CM) Murad Ali Shah, along with Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, his Advisor Saeed Ghani and senior officers, who are implementing the Karachi package, reached the venue and inspected the repair work, which was about to start while many people of the area described it as a “work was staged to be in progress” scene.

According to CM, there was much hue and cry over the dilapidated condition of the University Road. “Today I have come here to start this work. The work will be carried out in two parts, from Hassan Square to Nipa Chowrangi and from there further to Safoora Chowrangi,” he said.

Jam Khan Shoro, while briefing the Chief Minister, informed him that work on the 4.4 kilometer road from NED to Safoora Chowrangi would cost Rs777.9m. Footpaths and service road would also be constructed along the University Road, as per the construction plan, Shoro added.

The University Road has been in sorry condition since long while the Local Government Departments, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and District Municipal Corporation East, have long been ignoring the major road of the metropolis, causing trouble and anguish to citizens, motorists and other commuters.

Hundreds of people have been facing immense hardship due to delay in the repair work of this section of the University Road. The civic authorities’ failure in undertaking road work has left the road heavily damaged as potholes and cracks have deteriorated the situation further.

Moreover, massive mushrooming of roadside eateries, pushcarts and roadside vendors has added to the situation as they continue to occupy the footpaths, near the Mosimiyat area. The category of encroachments has enhanced citizen’s misery further. Recently, the KMC had carried out a cosmetic anti-encroachment drive.

The Karachi University, which has an army of maintenance staff and gardeners, can also play a positive role in both cleaning and beautifying of the area, in front of its main gate, the Bab e Fazilat or the door of dignity. Nevertheless, the garbage, filth and litter dumped just opposite this entrance mocks up with the name of the gate.

Jamaat-e-Islami’s East chapter has also been demanding immediate repair of the University Road by holding a series of protest demonstration and establishing protest camps on the University Road. It is interesting to note that the Sindh CM, who had recently directed the authorities to launch immediate repair of the road, personally had visited the University Road and inspected the work, which was launched only few hours before his scheduled visit.