KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has said that with the completion of Karachi pacl(age phase I and starting of its phase II soon, not only would the `lights` of the metropolis be fully restored, but it would also become a beautiful city of the country.

These views were expressed by the chief minister while he was presiding over a meeting to review the progress of Karachi package here on Wednesday at CM House.

The meeting was attended by Minister for Planning and Development Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro, chairman of Planning and Development Mohammad Waseem, principal secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, project director of Karachi package Niaz Soomro and others.

Referring to the ongoing development works in the city, the chief minister said the development had changed the face of Karachi by restoring city lights, reconstruction of main arteries, installation of new lights on roads and revamping of traffic islands along the arteries.

`Life in the city is again flourishing while the Karachi package II is about to start and it would further beautify the city.

Conceding delay in the completion of the underpass at Submarine Chowrangi, the chief minister stressed the need to complete the underpass at the earliest.Local Government Minister Jam Khan Shoro informed the meeting participants that its one track would be opened to traffic on November 15.

Giving the progress on the bridge at intersection of Sunset Boulevard and Gizri Boulevard, Mr Shoro said all legal formalities of the project, which would cost Rs700 million, had been completed.

The chief minister directed the PD to start work by Nov 15 as he wanted to lay its foundation stone.

The PD, Niaz Soomro, said that the technical evaluation report had been uploaded on the Sindh Public Procurement Regulatory Authority website and as per target the work would be started in November.

The other projects on which work would also start by November 2017 are: construction of Rs650m road from Fawwara Chowk to Garden via Abdullah Haroon Road and back to Fawwara Chowk via Zaibunnisa Street; construction of Rs350m road from Tank Chowk to the Superhighway via Thado Nullah (prequalification for the project has been completed); reconstruction of Rs280m Tipu Sultan Road from Sharea Faisal to Karsaz; construction of Rs1.5 billion bridge at Tipu Sultan and Khalid Bin Waleed intersection at Shaheed-i-Millat Road, widening of Rs270m Stadium Road from University Road to Rashid Minhas Road.

Construction of 12,000 Road (Landhi Korangi) for Rs1.5bn is also part of the package. On the road two bridges would also be constructed.Improvement plan of Rs240m for roads at Cantt Railway station is included.

The chief minister said that two places were most important which affected the image of the city. They are the Cantt Station and the airport.

`When people from other cities and countries land at our airport or come out of Cantt Station they see the plight of roads.

This is most important for me to develop both these areas.

He said he had a beautification plan for all flyovers and bridges of the city. The flyover at Jinnah Terminal is on the top priority.

The work on some storm-water drains from Star Gate to Chakora Nullah, Sharea Faisal of Rs200m and storm-water drain from Hassan Square to Lyari River of Rs70m would be started by the beginning of November.

The chief minister directed the PD of the Karachi package to expedite the works under phaselofthe package.

Development in other Sindh districts The chief minister also presided over a works and services department meeting where he was given a briefing that in other parts of Sindh six road development schemes were also being implemented.

The total length of the six schemes would be 328 kilometres and would cost over Rs22bn, to be carried out with the cooperation of the Asian Development Bank.

The work on these roads has already started.