Slow but definite start on tallest building

[LRE]

Slow but definite start on tallest building

By Jamil Khan



KARACHI: The City District Government Karachi (CDGK) has started work albeit at a slow pace on what will be the country’s tallest building, the 47-story IT Tower and Call Center. It will be featured near the city government’s headquarters at Civic Center, Gulshan-e-Iqbal.

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal signed an agreement for the construction of the building on February 2008 in Kuala Lumpur but with the slow pace of work it is unlikely that the building will be completed in the stipulated time of two years.

The construction is being carried out by Malaysian firm IM Technologies, Pakistan, a consortium of two foreign firms, IJM Investment JA Ltd and Malpak Ltd. Initially, a MoU (memorandum of understanding) was inked by the city nazim, IM Technologies and an Indian firm, Astra Netcom Ltd on July 18, 2006 but after reservations shown by different quarters, the Indian firm was sidelined from taking part in the 200-million-dollar project.

Officials in the city government’s Works and Services Department told Daily Times that presently, soil testing and excavation work has started and will be completed in the next couple of weeks. “As this structure will be the tallest in the city, lengthy procedures such as soil testing have to be carried out for safety before the project kicks off on a major scale,” he said.

The contractors have erected iron curtains around the 3.05-acre proposed site by hanging huge panaflex posters, depicting the salient features of the project for the people passing by.

Sources in the KBCA confirmed that the requirements of the 47-storey-building are in order and an NOC for its construction has been issued. The city government Project Director, Rauf Akhter Farooqi, told Daily Times that there were no hurdles in the way of the project and all formalities are over and done with.

The tower will be the country’s first “intelligent and environment friendly building”. It will house its own power-generation facility of 18 MW, as well as have its own recyclable water supply. Besides the 10,000-seat call center, this tower will have all commercial facilities, including a shopping center, auditorium, food court, four multiplex cinemas, 260-room luxury hotel, health center, office space and three basement car parks for 2,100 vehicles.

Sources in the Enterprises and Investment Promotion Department told Daily Times that after the completion of this fully commercial building, the city government will have a constant source of a handsome amount of revenue.

“As work on this project has started, different national and multi-national firms have approached the city government to reserve space in the call center,” he said.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp...008_pg12_1