Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali has approved an Rs 1.977 billion special Karachi package to repair important roads and upgrade main roundabouts and footpaths and also provide necessary equipments and facilities at the hospitals of KMC.
He approved this package while presiding over a meeting at the CM House on Saturday. The meeting was attended by Senior Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah, Principal Secretary Alamddin Bullo, Acting Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon and Commissioner Asif Hyder Shah.
The commissioner presented a plan of Rs 1.977 billion which included different beautification, repair and maintenance works. Rupees 1,500 million were reserved for beautification and uplift works of roads in Clifton area, Tariq Road and Old National Highway.
The chief minister said that slow construction work of Golimar Underpass was causing serious problems in smooth traffic flow. “The project has become a big problem for the people passing through that area, so it must be completed at the earliest.” Commissioner Asif Hyder proposed that if Rs 300 million were released the project would be completed on fast track basis.
The chief minister asked Senior Minister for Finance Syed Murad Ali Shah to provide the required funds to the Karachi commissioner for Golimar Underpass. The minister forthwith issued advice to the secretary finance to release the funds of Rs 300 million on urgent basis.
The chief minister said he had received reports that the plight of most of the KMC hospitals was deplorable. The CT scan, MRI and some other equipments in Abbasi Shaheed hospital were out of order, he said. “This is the most important hospital and it must be equipped properly for providing smooth services round the clock,” the chief minister directed.
The commissioner said he had floated a proposal of Rs 177 million to provide necessary facilities to all the KMC hospitals by upgrading their machinery, equipments and undertake repair works where necessary. The chief minister approved the special grant of Rs 177 million for the KMC hospitals and directed Senior Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah to release the funds.
The chief minister also expressed his displeasure that heaps of garbage and filth had accumulated almost in every nook and corner of the city. “This is not my job to remind the KMC about its duty. It is an embarrassing situation,” he said and directed Commissioner Asif Hyder Shah to coordinate with KMC administrators and ensure lifting of garbage before holy month of Ramazan and develop a mechanism of lifting garbage on regular basis.