Projects worth Rs16 bn approved for Karachi

Rs16.8 billion worth of development schemes for Karachi have been approved by
the caretaker Sindh Chief Minister Justice Maqbool Baqar during a meeting at the
CM house. He also directed the finance department to release the total details of
the amount once the requirements have been completed.
It was informed to the Chief Minister that the city has an already approved water
quota of 1200 cusecs from the Indus River through the KWSC systems. The
already existing water supply system for Karachi includes canals, conduits,
pumping stations and filter plants whereas the project that has been approved is
focused on using the available 65MGD capacity from Keenjher Gujjo canal system.
According to mayor Karachi, the project has an exclusive Right of Way (RoW)
without any encumbrance and which is readily available. Mayor Karachi stated
that the project was being delayed due to its startup being on a PPP mode, which
is why the CM has directed the P&D department to make it possible for the
approval of this project to be done within 10 days. Moreover he has also directed
the department of finance to release Rs4.5 billion for the project to be started
immediately.
The meeting was attended by Mayor Karachi Murtaza Wahab, Secretary Finance
Kazim Jatoi, Secretary Local Govt Manzoor Shaikh, Commissioner Karachi Saleem
Rajput, Secretary Transport Asad Zaim, Municipal Commissioner KMC Afzal Zaidi
and CEO of Water Board Salahuddin.