‘PIER 39-inspired’ Port Grand inaugurated

Grand is a gift for the citizens of Karachi and it would serve as a catalyst for several other mega entertainment projects in the city, said Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan on the occasion of the food, shopping and entertainment complex’s inauguration on Saturday. The project would be open for public from Sunday (today) evening. The governor said that a mega economic hub like Karachi where millions of people live needs a lot of recreational spots where entertainment-starved citizens could relax. The Port Grand complex that has been built at the Native Jetty Bridge with the Grand Leisure Corporation (GLC)’s investment of over Rs 1 billion would serve the purpose well, he said.
The complex would not only fulfil the recreational and entertainment needs of a city as large and significant as Karachi, but also give the citizens a reason to be proud of and celebrate their culture and identity, he added. He said that the Port Grand complex is an effort to revive the culture and tradition of the old Karachi as well as to celebrate it as the city of lights, and that the complex would surely revive the harbour culture in a port-city like Karachi.
He appreciated the GLC for resurrecting the history and heritage of the city because the corporation has not only preserved the 19th century’s Napier Mole Bridge (commonly known as the Native Jetty Bridge), but has also converted the bridge into a world-class tourist spot that would ultimately attract millions of people from all over the world. Federal Ports and Shipping Minister Babar Khan Ghauri said on the occasion that the promise to provide the citizens of Karachi with a world-class harbour-based food, trade, entertainment and recreational complex in the shape of the Port Grand complex has been fulfilled.
Terming the complex as the most-awaited world’s largest recreational enclave, the minister said that despite the economic, law and order and political situation of the country, the Port Grand complex is a bold initiative by a private sector company. He applauded the relentless efforts of GLC Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Shahid Firoz, who was also present on the occasion, for turning a dream into a reality.
He said that the Port Grand complex is the country’s only seaside food and entertainment enclave that would offer matchless attraction for the whole family to enjoy together. It is expected that the complex would attract around 4,000 to 5,000 people daily from across the country, he added.
The GLC CEO said on the occasion that the Port Grand complex, which stretches along the 1,000-foot Native Jetty Bridge, is spread over an area of 200,000 square feet. The one-kilometre bridge has been transformed into an entertainment and food enclave that houses numerous eateries totalling 40,000 square feet of climate-controlled space for kiosks of exotic Pakistani and foreign food and a variety of beverages, he added.
He said that the work on the complex commenced in 2005 and it was expected to be completed by 2009, but the bridge was in a very bad shape after being abandoned for any use of transportation. The old bridge was also set to be demolished when the Port Grand complex was conceived, but now the 19th century monument has been preserved for generations to come, he added. The CEO said that the GLC almost rebuilt the whole bridge by removing the old deck slab, cleaning rust, scaling the existing structure, strengthening the substructure and laying the new deck slab. The revamping of the bridge took around two years to complete, which is why the construction of the complex was delayed by two years, he added.
He said that the Port Grand complex’s construction was inspired by world’s famous waterfront attractions such as PIER 39 in San Francisco, Quincy Market in Boston and 3rd Street in Los Angeles. The complex is a pedestrian-friendly strip on the harbour front, which would not only be a recreational spot, but also provide immense learning experience to the citizens, including children, by being in close proximity to ships and port activities, he added.
He also said that around 40 outlets have been made operational at this stage, whereas more outlets would be opened soon. The entry fee for the Port Grand complex would be Rs 300 per person, of which Rs 200 would be redeemable at different food outlets and shops inside the complex, he added.