People of Karachi are really paying heavy price for ongoing development
works in the city. At present developmental works on 20 different locations
across the metropolis are responsible for persistent traffic and environment
hurdles. Newly-established and multifaceted institutions are executing various
construction works, improvement and renovation schemes and other development
projects at a time which is creating unbearable problems and irreparable damages
to the public health and environment.
However, amongst these developments works none has proved as
severely crude and lethal as the renovation of the University Road. Lack of
diversions, absence of underground utilities and haphazard construction has led
to irrevocable losses of human lives.
This week on Friday five
people including three women and a child were injured when a water tanker lost speed control on under-construction
road and ran over the people. It is the 6th tragic incident on University road
within a month. As a day before four people including three young women lost
their lives while 11 other injured when a speedy bus overturned on the same
venue. Students of Federal Urdu University staged a protest blocked the road
calling for the swift, safe and speedy completion of the reconstruction work on
the University road through which they could commute safely. But they do not
know when this work will get completed another construction project the Red
Line Metro under the Karachi Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system will be started
within couple of months. For people who are already suffering from the miseries
and difficulties from ongoing works on University Road, the construction of the
Metrobus Red Line will now add only insult to injury in ongoing public turmoil,
making it endless and more daunting. It is difficult to say when these under
construction projects will see the daylight of their completion.
It is really injustice to the people of Pakistan and burning the
candle of public funds from both ends, because if the Red Line has to be built on
University Road why not construction on elevated expressway started alongside
with the ongoing renovation and improvement work on same road. Should the
commuters, nearby residents and all related people of Karachi suffer twice with
development work on a single location ? But as both these development projects
are belonged to two different -- provincial and federal -- authorities, it is
justified for them. Because the aim of the ruling authorities is to fill their coffers
on the name of developments rather facilitating comforts and amenities to
public.
The ongoing renovation work on University road is being
constructed under Rs. 10 billion "Karachi Package" by Local Government
Project of Sindh government. The total cost of work of renovation of University
road is reportedly more than Rs.1766 million and is distributed in two Phases, 1st
from Hasan Square to NIPA worth 884.23 million rupees and 2nd from NED
University to Safoora Chowrangi cost 832 million rupees.
On the other hand the Red Line Metro Bus project is also proposed
to be built on University Road. The Line will extend from Model Colony to Regal
Chowk via Safoora Chowrangi and University Road at a total length of 27 km. The
Red Line is a part of Karachi Metro Rapid Bys Transit (RBT) network which is
divided into five busways or Lines. i.e. Green Line, Orange Line, Yellow Line,
Blue Line and Red Lines. Among these Lines, the work on the Rs. 15 billion Green Line is already under
construction and it is a federal project under the Karachi Infrastructure
Development Company Limited (KIDL), a company of Minister of Communication, Government
of Pakistan
Although the federal government states that Red Line will be a
Sindh Government initiative but it is more likely that the KIDCL will execute
the project when the ongoing renovation work will see the daylight of
completion. Because if the Red Line were Sindh government initiative the work
on motorway comprising its elevated and ground lanes should have been started
alongside the ongoing renovation work on University road. Anyway, whoever take
the charge of this development the miseries and difficulties of Karachities
seem an unending task.
By
Editorial, Infocus
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