The year 2026 will be the year of completion of development projects in Karachi, says Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab while addressing a press conference on Saturday.
Speaking at the press conference at the head office of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, he said that at the beginning of the year it was announced that 2026 would be the year of completion of development projects in Karachi, and now work on these projects had begun to fulfil that commitment.
He said that the KMC is working on 1,058 development schemes this year, including the construction and rehabilitation of roads and the restoration of old buildings, while development work will also be carried out in the inner streets of towns to provide maximum facilities to citizens.
Wahab said that Karachi is the economic hub of Pakistan, but the condition of many commercial centers in the city had deteriorated. Therefore, 750 million rupees are being spent on the rehabilitation of the Old City Area, where development work is underway around Lea Market, Khajoor Market and Boulton Market, while projects are also in progress behind the City Courts.
He said that one billion rupees will also be spent on the improvement of other commercial markets in the city, and development work has begun at the Nursery Furniture Market, which is visited by thousands of people daily. The work will be completed after Eid. Construction work has also started on the road from Ankle Saria Hospital to NJV School, while improvement of the market under the Quaidabad Flyover is also part of the plan. Work has begun to improve the situation in the Banaras area, while development work is also underway in 24 markets in the municipal area at a cost exceeding one billion rupees.
The mayor said that the KMC is also committed to improving Karachi’s historical heritage, and work is underway on the restoration project of the Empress Market. During the holy month of Ramazan, work is being carried out without disrupting traders’ businesses. The 150-year-old clock of the Empress Market has also been restored, and the parking space for 300 vehicles has been constructed.
He added that the KMC building itself is a more than 100-year-old historical structure and its restoration work is underway, while the building has also been shifted to solar energy. He said the old market of Denso Hall has been repaired and the renovation of Hassan Ali Hoti Market has been completed, while work is continuing at Lea Market and development projects have also started in Lyari.
The rehabilitation of Soldier Bazaar Market, which was built a century ago, is also underway, along with restoration works at Machhi Miani Market and the Cantt Station Sol Lines Market, which will be completed before June 30.
He said that due to the poor condition of Hub River Road and Tori Bangash Road, citizens were facing difficulties, therefore development work has started on Tori Bangash Road at a cost of one billion rupees. He added that the KMC’s vision is to ensure development work across all seven districts of Karachi.
The mayor said work has begun on the Bird Aviary project at Kidney Hill at a cost of 200 million rupees, while five hundred thousand trees have been planted there with the support of the Forest Department and civil society. A public park is also being constructed at Gutter Baghicha, while 500 million rupees will be spent on the construction of the main road of Gulshan-e-Hadeed Steel Town.
He said that the chief minister of Sindh recently inaugurated the Khalid Bin Waleed Flyover, while the construction of a flyover at the Azeempura intersection is also underway to eliminate the traffic signal there. He added that he remains in daily contact with engineers and development work is continuing even during Ramazan.
He said that Sharea Faisal and University Road are being improved as a major corridor because traffic pressure has shifted to Sharea Faisal, Shahrah-e-Pakistan, Rashid Minhas Road, Karsaz and Dalmia Road due to the BRT project. Therefore, a plan worth four billion rupees has been prepared to improve four major corridors. In addition, the Pehlwan Goth project has been launched and its foundation stone has already been laid.
Wahab said that no new graveyards had been established in the city for decades; therefore, new graveyards will be constructed at a cost of 430 million rupees as Tariq Road, Isa Nagri and other graveyards are already full. He said Memon Goth Road will be completed within two months, an IT Park will be inaugurated in Shadman Town, and work on the sports ground at Mauripur Road is progressing rapidly and will be completed by May 31.
He added that the Shadab Football Ground has already been completed, while the KMC has started work on a sports stadium on 25 acres of land in Baldia Town for the public at a cost exceeding one billion rupees. In addition, construction and rehabilitation work on 26 roads costing 5.5 billion rupees will also begin across the city, including Sehba Akhtar Road, Mirza Adam Khan Road, the road from Khawaja Ajmer Nagri Police Station to Baba Morr Surjani, Shahrah-e-Usman to Orangi, Metroville Road, the road from Malir 15 to Saudabad, and Hashim Raza Road.
The mayor said that street lights are being shifted to solar systems at a cost of one billion rupees, while another one billion rupees will be spent on the improvement of storm drains. He added that encroachments on 7,000 roads will be removed and an alternative road to Natha Khan Bridge will also be constructed.
He said that 15 billion rupees will be spent under the Provincial ADP and 11.6 billion rupees under the District ADP, while 13 billion rupees have been allocated for the rehabilitation of 139 streets and roads across the city.
He further detailed that in District Central, 8 roads in Gulberg Town will be built at a cost of 420 million rupees; 5 roads in Liaquatabad Town at a cost of 199 million rupees; 7 roads in Nazimabad Town costing 380 million rupees; 6 roads in New Karachi costing 740 million rupees; and 12 roads in North Nazimabad Town costing about 1.71 billion rupees.
In District East, 5 roads will be constructed in Chaneser Town at a cost of 370 million rupees; 5 roads in Gulshan Town costing 400 million rupees; 5 roads in Jinnah Town costing 730 million rupees; 4 roads in Safoora Town costing 540 million rupees; and 2 major roads in Sohrab Goth costing 860 million rupees.
In District Keamari, 7 roads will be built in Baldia Town costing 470 million rupees; 6 roads in Mauripur Town costing 340 million rupees; 5 roads in Mauriro Mirbahar Town costing 486 million rupees; 6 roads in Korangi Town costing 630 million rupees; and 3 roads in Landhi Town costing 150 million rupees. In Model Colony Shah Faisal, three roads will also be constructed.
In Malir district, 10 roads will be built in Gadap Town costing 950 million rupees; 5 roads in Ibrahim Hyderi Town costing 333 million rupees; and 10 roads in Malir Town costing 820 million rupees.
In District South, 9 new roads will be constructed in Saddar Town at a cost of 1.1 billion rupees. In District West, 388 million rupees will be spent in Manghopir, 135 million rupees in Mominabad, and 370 million rupees in Orangi Town.
He said that the KMC alone is investing approximately 67 billion rupees, while other institutions such as the KDA, Safe City Project and the Transport Department are also working on their respective projects. He said public money is a trust and will be spent for the betterment of the city.
The mayor said encroachments remain a major challenge for the city and the KMC is taking steps to remove them. He added that all towns will also have to play an active role and only through collective efforts can the city’s problems be resolved.
He further said that the Sindh government is spending 10 billion rupees on the Safe City project, about 100 billion rupees on the Yellow Line project, and 77 billion rupees on the K-IV water project. He added that the financial condition of the KMC is now improving and significant progress has been made in resolving pension-related issues. He said decisions often invite criticism, but work will continue while maintaining balance for the betterment of the city.
