Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday expressed serious concern over the slow pace of newly approved development schemes in the city, announcing “zero tolerance for substandard construction and poor planning” and warning that delays would not be accepted under any circumstances.
Presiding over a high-level meeting at the Chief Minister’s House to review the city’s infrastructure portfolio, Shah emphasized the importance of the provincial capital, stating, “Karachi city is the engine of our province Sindh’s economy. The development of Karachi is indeed the development of Sindh.”
The meeting was informed that the total estimated cost of 285 development schemes for Karachi is Rs. 86.94 billion. Of this amount, Rs. 38.83 billion has been allocated, out of which Rs. 22.36 billion has already been released. In the current financial year, Rs. 13.15 billion has been spent on these projects.
However, progress reports showed a significant difference in the utilization of funds. While the Karachi Development Authority (KDA) has utilized 72% of the funds for its 76 schemes, the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has used only 46% for its 200 schemes. The overall progress on nine major mega Karachi projects was reported to be 62%.
The Chief Minister expressed his dissatisfaction and directed the officials to effectively utilize the released funds and immediately remove all obstacles. He remarked, “We have approved the development projects and the funds are available. Now the focus should be on the results and progress that are visible to the public.”
Reviewing the status of several mega projects, the Chief Minister was informed that the Shahrah-e-Bhutto and Korangi Causeway Bridge project, costing Rs. 1.89 billion, is 68% complete, and all its funds have been released. The Karimabad underpass project, costing Rs. 3.8 billion, is 85% complete since work began in May 2023. Similarly, the Manawwar Chowrangi underpass, costing Rs. 2.02 billion, is now 75% complete.
Shah directed the engineers to “maintain construction quality and minimize traffic flow issues” during construction and ordered the early completion of the Murghi Khana bridge over the Malir River.
The briefing also covered extensive road rehabilitation projects, including Rs. 13 billion approved for the roads of 24 towns and Rs. 8.53 billion allocated for the repair of 26 major roads in the city.
A monitoring committee has been formed to oversee the development works to ensure accountability. The Chief Minister directed the committee to submit monthly progress reports.
Shah concluded the meeting by saying, “We are here to provide relief to the public, and the results must be visible at all costs,” and demanded that a detailed timeline and accountability report for each project be presented at the next meeting. He also stressed better coordination among all relevant departments.