——– During Karachi trip, PM urges timely completion of Centre-funded projects
——– Receives briefing on federal govt’s projects during day-long visit
——– PM, CM discuss issue of the growing cost of electricity
——– CM updates PM on progress of BRT Redline, Yellow Line projects
From Zeeshan Mirza
KARACHI: During his day-long visit to Karachi, Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif and Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah on Friday agreed to speed up the timely completion of the federal government-funded development projects in the province.
The development comes after PM Shehbaz, who is on day-long visit to Karachi, met Sindh CM and held discussion on different projects the federal government has initiated in the province, according to a statement issued by the CM House on Friday.
CM Murad told the PM that the provincial government with the assistance of donor agencies have started work on BRT Redline and Yellow Line projects.
“The work on the Red Line project was in full swing while work on the Yellow Line would be started shortly,” the CM said and added the solution of traffic issues in Karachi would be resolved when the Karachi Circular Railway project started. The prime minister assured the chief minister that his government was working closely with Chinese authorities to get KCR in the CPEC-priority project. He added that the KCR was important and it would be initiated with Chinese assistance very soon.
They also discussed the issue of the growing cost of electricity which has created unrest among the people of the country, as per the communique.
Both the leaders after a thorough discussion agreed to convert all the coal-fired power projects on Thar coal so that the cost of production could be minimised.
The prime minister said that his government was working to provide relief to the people of the country.
He added that indigenous sources of energy production such as coal and renewable energy would be cheaper to provide relief to the people of the country.
CM Murad told the prime minister that his government would distribute 200,000 Solar Home Systems (SHS) among the poor people living off-grid or using a maximum of 100 units per month so that they could be relieved of power bills.
The K-IV project also came under discussion in the meeting between the two top officials.
The CM said that work on the K-IV canal and conduit was being carried out by Water and power Development Authority (Wapda) while the augmentation works were the responsibility of his government.
The PM said that he would direct the Wapda to expedite work on the canal and related structures. The CM said that his government was going to start augmentation works so that both the works could be completed all together.
CM Murad told the prime minister that his government had started the Hub Canal project under which the existing canal was being overhauled along with the construction of a new canal so that 200MGD of water could be brought to the city of Karachi for the people of Districts – West, Kiamari and Central. The prime minister appreciated the project.
The PM and the CM also discussed the project of laying a 105kms railway line from Thar Coal field to Chhor so that coal could be transported up-country for coal-based power plants and other industrial units.
They agreed to expedite the paperwork of the project.
