CM Sindh asks mayor to complete two key underpasses in month

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday asked the Karachi mayor to complete the Karamiabad and Munawar Chowrangi underpasses within one month and make them operational for the public.

The Karimabad Underpass project, which was started in May 2023 and was expected to be completed in 10 months with the opening scheduled for October 2024, has been delayed due to some technical issues, which has caused a lot of inconvenience to the commuters and shopkeepers of the area. The Munawar Chowrangi underpass project was also started in 2023.

The chief minister, who chaired a high-level meeting to review the progress of the development portfolio of Karachi for the financial year 2025-26, was told that 85pc physical progress has been made on the Karimabad Underpass project.

He was also told that the Munawar Chowrangi underpass project was a Rs2.02 billion project, and the government has already released Rs300 million for it, and its physical progress is at 75pc.

The chief minister reviewed the progress of the two underpasses and other projects being implemented by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), and asked that quality be maintained and traffic flow not be disrupted.

He asked the mayor to complete the underpass projects in one month and make them operational for the public.

He also expressed concern over the progress of some newly approved projects in the city, and asked that coordination between the provincial departments, district administrations, and utility services be improved to avoid delays and ensure smooth implementation.

He asked the concerned departments to immediately complete the formalities so that physical work could start on the ground.

“Now that approvals have been obtained, and finances are in place, the emphasis should be on implementation and tangible results for the citizens,” he said.

According to a statement issued by the CM House, the meeting was attended by provincial ministers Syed Nasir Hussain Shah and Jam Khan Shoro, Special Assistant to CM Syed Qasim Naveed, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Sindh Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Chairman Planning & Development Najam Ahmed Shah and Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi.