Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab on Wednesday said Jehangir Road is an important artery connecting two districts, and residents have been facing severe road and sewerage problems for years.
Wahab said the road had been constructed by the Karachi Development Authority (KDA), but it was damaged during rains. Due to a lack of resources, only partial work had been carried out on the road from time to time, sometimes by the KDA and sometimes by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), resulting in the issue never being resolved permanently.
He said the KMC has now decided to fully construct the road using its own resources. Prior to road construction, complete rehabilitation and upgrade of drains and sewerage lines on both sides will be carried out to ensure that the road is not damaged again during future rains, he added.
He also said the KMC team had initially requested 90 days to complete the project, but in view of public inconvenience, the duration has been reduced to 60 days. Work will continue day and night on an emergency basis, and once started, it will be completed, while local leadership will oversee the project, and repair and improvement of street lights and pedestrian bridges are also part of the plan, he added.
The mayor expressed these views while speaking at the foundation-laying ceremony of the Jehangir Road (Guru Mandir to Teen Hatti) construction project. He said the decades-old sewerage system on Jehangir Road is being replaced to ensure a permanent solution to drainage issues, and the road is being reconstructed.
Jehangir Road from Guru Mandir to Teen Hatti will be constructed on both sides according to modern standards, along with the construction of storm water drains to resolve the long-standing issue of rainwater disposal, he added.
He said that the total length of the road is 1.4km, while it would include a 3-inch asphalt base course and a 2-inch asphalt concrete wearing course, with 50,000 square feet of carpeting.
A total of 2,000 running feet of storm water drains will be constructed on both sides, along with the installation of 36-inch-diameter pipelines, while 252,000 square feet of 80mm and 70,000 square feet of 60mm paver blocks will be installed, along with curb stones on both sides, he added.
He also said that upon completion of the project, traffic flow would improve, effective drainage of rainwater would be ensured and residents would receive much-needed relief. The rehabilitation of Jehangir Road is part of Karachi’s overall development strategy, which will not only improve traffic flow but also significantly enhance civic amenities, he added. He stressed that there would be no compromise on quality in development projects.
Wahab said the KMC is carrying out development works worth Rs46 billion across the city. Alongside major projects, smaller projects are also being completed, and work has begun on the construction and rehabilitation of more than 400 roads across the city, while the construction of a bridge in Malir is also progressing rapidly, he added.
He said development budgets have also been allocated for Karachi’s 246 union committees to enable work at neighbourhood and street levels. Regarding industrial areas, he said Rs9.25 billion has been provided to seven industrial associations to improve roads and infrastructure in their respective areas. If towns also work in coordination with the KMC, the coming year will prove to be a year of relief for Karachi, he added.
