Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ebad Khan has said that further delay in completion of Lyari Express Way (LEW) cannot be accepted or afforded because it is already way behind its original completion date.
After completion of its north-bound track, commuters will enjoy hassle free travel from Mauripur Road to Sohrab goth as experienced by South bound-travelers from Sohrab Goth to Mauripur Road.
The governor said this while presiding over a meeting to review pace of construction work on north-bound track of the LEW. Principal Secretary to Governor Muhammad Hussain Syed, Secretary Local Government Noor Muhammad Leghari, Karachi Commissioner Syed Asif Hyder Shah, Karachi Administrator Laeeq Ahmed, Secretary to Governor Muhammad Akhtar Ghori, Karachi Municipal Commissioner Samiuddin Siddiqui, representatives of Frontier Works Organisation, National Highway Authority and other concerned offices also attended the meeting.
The LEW was instrumental in reducing traffic congestion from main arteries of Karachi besides saving time and fuel of motorists, he added. Recalling the hurdles and bottlenecks experienced at the time of its initiation, the governor said that hundreds of houses, many mosques, graveyards, churches, Hindu and sikh temples were in the way of this expressway which were relocated after prolonged negotiations. The extraordinary delay in construction of its north-bound track was largely caused due to unavailability of right to way, he added. Now as the remaining portion of 5.233 kilometers had been started and only 1.456 kilometers was pending for right to way, it is hoped that it would be completed according to the revised schedule to facilitate the commuters, he further commented.
He directed the authorities to repeat the practice of last year in the month of Ramazan and utilise the constructed portion for traffic diversions, especially in peak hours. The governor was informed that its north-bound track would be completed by June 2017 subject to availability of right to way. It was further informed that a decision on disputes was expected on 25th of May which would resolve the right to way of remaining portions.
All the required heavy equipment and machinery has been moved on the site. It was further informed that the total length of both tracks including ramps of LEW was 38.67 km while 81.48 per cent construction work had been completed so far. The deputy commissioner West and additional deputy commissioner Central informed him about the matter of ‘Right of Way’ and progress of construction work in their respective jurisdictions.
