Delay in completion of Banaras flyover irks citizens

[Lahore_Real_Estate]

Delay in completion of Banaras flyover irks citizens
KARACHI, Nov 6: An inordinate delay in the completion of one track of the Banaras flyover and the roads running parallel to the flyover — described as at-grade roads in technical parlance — has become a nightmare for around one million people residing in the sprawling townships of Orangi, Baldia and SITE.

Though the work on the two-kilometre-long flyover had begun in 2007, its executing agency — the city district government Karachi — had, so far, been able to open only one track for vehicular traffic.

The work on the other track, the roads running parallel to it and replacement of a 24-inch diameter pipeline from the site of its under-construction roundabout was yet to be finished.

Thousands of motorists and commuters taking the route of the under-construction flyover for going to and from Orangi and Baldia towns had been facing immense hardships, especially while proceeding towards the Abdullah Girls College roundabout as not only the roundabout had become impassible but even its at-grade road, which was currently being used as an alternative route for proceeding towards Orangi Town, had developed deep ditches and craters.

The Abdullah Girls College roundabout is not only frequently used daily by thousands of people going to and from Orangi Town but also by thousands of students of nearby educational institutions such as Abdullah Govt Girls College, St. Jude’s School, Govt Ship-owners College and those visiting Board of Intermediate Education Karachi. During a visit to the roundabout one could see that it had been devastated to such an extent that vehicles passing through the road get tilted on one side, posing a serious risk of accident to the commuters as well the occupants of vehicles.

Not only all the four sides of the roundabout but even the at-grade road had developed deep ditches and craters and numerous sharp-edged boulders had also surfaced there. This is causing great inconvenience to motorists and commuters traveling in public transport including bus, mini bus, coach, taxi and rickshaw.

Dawn contacted the CDGK’s executive district officer (works and services), Altaf G. Memon, to know the reasons behind the inordinate delay in completing the flyover and at-grade roads. He said that though the work on the project was suspended for some time due to paucity of funds, it had now been restarted following an allocation of Rs650 million under the Sindh government’s annual development plan and the entire project was now scheduled to be accomplished by April 2012.

Asked how much time it would take to reopen the second track of the flyover, he said it would be opened for vehicular traffic within a fortnight as road carpeting was going on in full swing while its expansion joints, which had already been imported, would be affixed shortly.

About the works relating to the at-grade roads, Mr Memon said that it would take another five to six months to complete as a number of allied works such as replacement of a pipeline and construction of storm-water drains on its either side were to be undertaken prior to the reconstruction of at-grade roads.

“We have already placed an order for manufacturing 24-inch diameter MS pipeline with the Steel Mills and as soon as we get it we would replace it with the existing pipeline which had become obsolete,” said the EDO.

He said the reconstruction work of the Abdullah Girls College roundabout would be initiated within a week.