Sindh Minister for Local Government Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Sunday inaugurated the Munawar Chowrangi Underpass, which has been opened for public traffic.
The inauguration ceremony was attended by elected public representatives, senior government officials, officers and engineers of the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), and a large number of citizens. The completion of this key infrastructure project, connecting some of Karachi’s busiest commercial and residential areas, is expected to significantly improve traffic flow and reduce travel time for commuters.
The Munawar Chowrangi Underpass is approximately 500 metres long with a width of 24 feet for two-way traffic. The Karachi Development Authority (KDA) completed the project within 16 months at an estimated cost of around Rs2 billion.
Addressing the ceremony, Shah said the underpass had been opened for public use, while its formal inauguration would be performed by Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. He said the development of Karachi, construction of modern urban infrastructure and resolution of the city’s long-standing traffic issues were among the Sindh Government’s top priorities, under which several development projects were being executed simultaneously across the city.
He said funds had already been allocated for the reconstruction and rehabilitation of all major roads, while town chairmen were actively carrying out development works in their respective areas.
Shah said inquiries were underway wherever complaints regarding construction quality had been received, adding that no negligence or substandard work would be tolerated. He said certain elements continued to raise the issue of creating a new province for political purposes, but Sindh was a united entity and could not be divided. He added that those portraying Karachi as an unlivable city were ignoring the ground realities, as the present government had completed numerous flyovers, underpasses, roads and other development schemes across the metropolis.
He further said the removal of illegal marriage halls built on playgrounds was another major achievement of the present city administration to restore sports facilities for the public. Nasir Hussain Shah said if Karachi were truly an unlivable city, millions of people from across the country would not continue to come here in search of employment, education and a better future.
Speaking on the occasion, Wahab said they could not afford to become complacent with their performance and must continue working harder, as they firmly believed that ‘movement brings progress.’ He urged citizens to compare the current pace of development with the past, saying that the speed at which development projects were now being completed in Karachi had not been witnessed for many years.
He said the Munawar Chowrangi Underpass had originally been scheduled for completion within 24 months, but due to effective planning, continuous monitoring and the dedicated efforts of the concerned institutions, the project was completed ahead of schedule, reflecting the practical fulfilment of commitments made to the people.
Wahab said work was progressing rapidly on roads, flyovers, underpasses, parks, playgrounds and other civic infrastructure projects across different districts of Karachi, while the Industrial Park would also soon be inaugurated by PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari.
He said the pace of development in Karachi would further accelerate over the next year and citizens would witness a visible transformation across the city. He further said a proposal had been prepared to construct a flyover at Disco Bakery Chowrangi to ease increasing traffic congestion, but work on the project was halted following a request from the relevant Jamaat-e-Islami Town Chairman.
At the conclusion of the ceremony, citizens welcomed the completion and opening of the Munawar Chowrangi Underpass, expressing hope that the project would facilitate the movement of thousands of vehicles daily, substantially reduce traffic congestion and provide faster, safer and more convenient travel between the city’s major commercial and residential areas.