KARACHI: City Nazim Mustafa Kamal has issued directives to the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) Transport and Communication Department Executive District Officer (EDO) Iftikhar Qaimkhani to start taking steps for the construction of 80 warehouses at the inter-provincial bus terminal in Baldia Town Yousuf Goth that acts as a link between Karachi and Balochistan.
Kamal issued these directives while presiding over a meeting with Karachi Water and Sewerage Board Managing Director Qutbuddin Sheikh, EDO Transport Iftikhar Qaimkhani, CDGK and KWSB officials at the City Nazism’s Secretariat on Thursday.
This step is aimed at facilitating transporters operating on the intercity and inter-provincial route. The construction of 80 warehouses would be carried out as a public-private partnership project, as the CDGK and transporters would each bear 50 percent of the construction cost.
The construction of warehouses would cost Rs 80 million and the project completion date has been set as a maximum of four months from the date of commencement, which is likely to start this month.
The project would also include the installation of power generator costing Rs 5 million, the meeting decided. On this occasion, Kamal asked the KWSB MD to take necessary steps for the supply of water at the proposed warehouses. Kamal also asked the KWSB chief to ensure proper installation of water meters inside the warehouses and carry out the repair and maintenance work inside the bus terminal on priority. In order to address the power problems inside the bus terminal, he asked the Works and Services EDO to take necessary measures for the installation of stand-by power generator inside the bus terminal.
Kamal said that despite the shortage of funds, the CDGK has paid special attention to the transport sector and has arranged for 50 CNG buses that would start plying on the city roads from next month. Earlier, a transporters’ delegation also called on the city nazim and submitted suggestions and problems pertaining to the bus terminal. The transporters informed him that more than 12,000 people were using the bus terminal daily for travelling to and from Balochistan. Transporters were facing difficulties due to the shortage of warehouses while they also have problems of water, sewerage and electricity. staff report.
