Murad approves Numaish underpass project, nearby area reserved for retail shops

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah presided over the BRT Green Line Bus project meeting and approved the design of underpass at Numaish here on Thursday.

The meeting which was held at CM House, and was attended by the Provincial Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, Transport & Information Minister Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Chairman Planning and Development Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Planning and Development Green Line Project & Principal Secretary to Governor Saleh Farooqi, Secretary Transport Saeed Awan, Green Line Project Director Zubair Channa, project consultants and other concerned officers.

Briefing the chief minister, Saleh Farooqi said that the design had full Mezzanine Floor under Numaish to develop an area for small retail shops. Since Numaish underpass will be the central place for BRT passengers, this retail area was envisaged to contribute significantly to BRT self-sustenance through non-fare revenue.

The chief minister said that the retail area or shopping area could be developed under Public-Private Partnership mode after launching of the project.

“The completion of the project and starting of buses are most important for which people of Karachi are waiting,” he said and approved the underground station at Numaish.

The chief minister directed Saleh Farooqi to invite tenders on February 15 so that work could be started well in time. “I am interested to start the project in April, therefore, things should be moved accordingly,” he said.

He directed to notify the date of completion of BRT Green Line infrastructure so that Sindh Mass Transit & Transport Authority (SMTA) could issue the notice of readiness accordingly.

The transport minister told the meeting that he has started the preparation for procurement of buses for Green Line and Orange Line project.

Another issue that Zubair Channa raised was regarding the establishment of Bus depot at Surjani Town. The chief minister directed Secretary Law Iftikhar Shahlwani to make necessary amendments in the land documents so that 3.5 acres land could be developed as the bus depot. “This must be done within 15 days,” he said.