Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Tuesday approved a grant of Rs 2.9 billion for the development and rehabilitation of infrastructure of the industrial areas of the Karachi and adjoining areas.

“I would be releasing more funds if quality work is done before the end of current financial year,” he said while holding an exclusive meeting with a 10-member delegation of Karachi Industrial Forum (KIF) led by Zain Bashir here at the CM House.

Minister Industries Manzoor Wassan, Minister Local Government Jam Khan Shoro and senior concerned officers were also present in the meeting.

The chief minister in his opening remarks said that he had held a meeting with them (KIF) in which it was decided that he would provide them maximum funds if they come up with a detailed development plan.

“On your advice I had revived Industrial Development Board under the chairmanship of Minister of Industry so that board can execute government funded schemes,” he said and added that the delay was on the part of KIF because still he has not received complete development plan.

Minister for Industries Manzoor Wassan said that he had held a number of meetings with the concerned industrialists but the plan kept bouncing from one meeting to another.

“Any how again we have bothered CM to solve the issues of the industrialists with your magic wand,” he said. On this the chief minister said that he was an engineer and go by calculation but Wassan has the ability to see a dream and get it materialised, he said in a lighter mood.

The participants raised the issues one by one. The most important issues were of reconstruction of infrastructure, cleaning of storm water drains and sewerage system, up-gradation and modernization of fire station in the jurisdiction of industrial areas, provision of water, relocation of an existing hydrant and repair and expansion of existing bridges and installation of water treatment plant.

According to KIF representatives, these issues were rampant in the industrial areas of North Karachi, FB Area, Korangi, SITE Super Highway and SITE Karachi and SITE Manghopir.

The chief minister approved a grant of Rs2.9 billion and directed Minister Industries to hold Infrastructure Development Board, identify the schemes, approve them then and there and start work under the joint supervision of concerned industrial area and his department.

Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro said that he had closed all the hydrants, except seven. If the Industrialists have any issue with any hydrant he was ready to wind it up or relocate it. They pointed out Mashallah Hydrant at Landhi and Shoro ordered KWSB to shift it or close it.

The KIF representatives said that there was a serious issue of traffic jam at Jam Sadiq Bridge, on this the chief minister directed Commissioner Karachi to survey the area for constructing a causeway at the bridge for heavy traffic and report him within three days. “If the proposed causeway is feasible I would provide you funds to start the work,” he said.

The chief minister on the suggestion of the industrialists approved reconstruction roads, drainage system, pedestrian bridge & security wall at FB Industrial Area, construction of footpaths, installation of street lights.

The chief minister also ordered removal of encroachment from the industrial areas and traffic management during the peak hours.

The representatives  of KIF who include Ziad Bashir of LATI, Masood Naqi of KATI, Jawed Suleman of FBATI, Rasheed Jan Mohammad BQATI, Jamshed Ahmed Super highway association (SSHATI), Asad Nisar of SITE, Akhtar Ismail of NKATI, Mian Mohammad, the patron in chief of Bin Qasim  and others thanked the chief minister for his extra ordinary support and cooperation.