The city’s streets were flooded on Thursday after two days of sporadic rain. PHOTO: EXPRESS
KARACHI:
The government has completed a study of metropolitan city roads damaged during the recent heavy rains, and the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) is overseeing the repairs of 106 roads, while another 453 roads in various cities will be rehabilitated under the jurisdiction of the provincial government.
The Sindh government has set aside a budget of Rs 25 billion for the repair and rehabilitation of the city’s battered roads. The repair work will be carried out under the auspices of the Department of Local Government’s Competitive and Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) project, funded by the World Bank.
A spokesperson for Karachi Commissioner Syed Hassan Naqvi said a meeting recently discussed the progress of repair work. Participants were told that repair and rehabilitation efforts will begin shortly, with specific plans outlined for each district.
According to the spokesperson, the repairs will cover the following districts: 138 roads in the Eastern District, 50 in the Central District, 27 in the Southern District, 15 in Korangi, 93 in Malir and 27 in the Kemari District.
The meeting also focused on the status of traffic signals on key routes like II Chundrigar Road and Maripur Road. It was decided that plans would be drawn up for the beautification of both highways, with the goal of improving the aesthetic and functional appeal of these critical arteries.
As part of the traffic infrastructure improvements, the Department of Transportation will upgrade 45 existing traffic lights and install 31 new ones. These improvements are expected to help facilitate traffic flow and improve overall road safety throughout the city.
The meeting also reviewed the progress of the highly anticipated Red Line and Yellow Line transportation projects. These initiatives are key to improving public transport and easing congestion in Karachi. Officials informed that work on the diversion project on University Road near Urdu College is nearing completion. This detour of the road, stretching for 2.7 kilometres, has been planned according to the directives of Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah. The proposal for this diversion has already been submitted to the government for final approval.
The commissioner, during the meeting, highlighted the importance of integrated planning and mutual coordination between concerned authorities to ensure that rehabilitation projects are executed efficiently and without duplication of efforts.
