KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday directed Works and Services Department to complete three under-construction overhead bridges on railway crossings at Tando Adam, Kotri and Jacobabad by June 2018.
The chief minister while presiding over a meeting to review the progress of the incomplete schemes and the schemes started under repair and maintenance, said the as the incomplete work is causing serious hardships for the people.
The meeting was attended by Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Pricnipal Secretary to CM SOhail Rajput, Secretary Works Aijaz Memon, chief engineer (roads) and other concerned officers.
CM Sindh recalled that during he inspected the the overhead bridge during his his visit to Tando Adam in January, including approaching roads to the railway crossing, but noticed that the works department left the railway portion but had claimed to have completed the scheme.
Secretary Works Aijaz Memon informed CM Sindh that railway authorities were not issuing NOC for construction of the portion on the railway crossing. The chief minister expressed his displeasure and directed secretary works to personally talk to railway authorities and get the NOC.
“In case of any issue I would personally talk to concerned authorities,” he said and directed to complete it by June 2018.
Discussing the overhead bridge on railway line between Kotri city and the industrial area, the chief minister said that he visited the bridge in first week of February and work on the bridge had been left incomplete.
The secretary works apprised CM Sindh that the Sindh High Court circuit bench in Hyderabad had issued stay order in September 2017.
The chief minister directed him to pursue the case in the court properly and get the stay order vacated and start the work. He also advised him to check if the railway authority has issued the NOC or not so that this matter could be addressed accordingly.
CM Sindh also said that work on Bilawal Bhutto Zardari flyover on Jal Phatak railway crossing in Jacaobad is also incomplete, and was informed that some private parties have filed claims in the high court.
The chief minister said that the high court has not issued any stay order, and directed Chairman Planning and Development Mohammad Waseem to conduct an inquiry into the unnecessary delay in completion of the work through Chief Minister’s Inspection Team (CMIT) and report to him.
“The government has utilized millions of rupees on these schemes and they would be of no use until they are completed,” he said directing him to personally visit the scheme and get it completed by June 2018.
He went on saying that he would launch these three schemes in June, and therefore all the relevant bottlenecks must be removed accordingly.
The chief minister reviewing the Repair & Maintenance (M&R) works said that during the current year, 2017-18, he had allocated Rs5.32 billion for repair and maintenance of different roads and so far Rs5 billion have been released.
“The funds were allocated district-wise so that old roads could be improved for smooth flow of vehicular traffic,” he added.
The chief minister was informed that work on four Tando Mohammad Khan Roads have been started. They are TM Khan -Mullah Katiar Road to village Lal Khan Brohi Road for Rs21.3 million, to village Achar Patel for Rs27.2 million, to village Luqman Khaskheli for Rs19.1 million and village to Anwar Khan Nizamani village for Rs24.5 million.
The chief minister directed P&D Chairman to send his Director General to inspect all the roads being repaired and report him about their quality.
