PR to Gift Land to CDGK for Expressway

Major breakthrough on mega project as federal govt gives green signal

Karachi: The federal government has granted permission for the construction of a 24-kilometre long and 25-metre wide expressway from Karachi City to Landhi Railway Station on railway land. Pakistan Railways (PR) will soon issue a no objection certificate (NOC) to the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) in this regard.The project was earlier conceived as a highly controversial elevated expressway, called the Karachi Elevated Expressway (KEE), which was to run above Sharea Faisal from Quaidabad to Jinnah Bridge (Native Jetty).Informed sources told

The News that the caretaker prime minister approved the summary sent to him in this regard, while the Pakistan Railways has agreed to give its land to the CDGK for the purpose as a gift.Now the expressway will run along the railway line instead of Sharea Faisal, however, it would be given elevation only where required.According to sources, the CDGK is awaiting the NOC from Pakistan Railways following which the final agreement will be signed after re-evaluating the cost of the project with the Malaysian firm IJM Construction (PVt) Ltd.The original cost of the project was US$400 million and it is likely to be reduced to around US$380 million.

The IJM construction has established its office in Karachi and its chief executive used to make frequent visits from Malysia to monitor progress on the project.The psyche behind the project was, and is, to ease the burden on Sharea Faisal, which is the main artery of the metropolis and carries a heavy volume of traffic from all over the city owing to its central interconnection at different points.The Expressway, aside from providing a much-needed alternative route, thus easing traffic on the road, will also provide a faster route for commuters from the city centre to other points.