Karachi: 10 CDGK sports projects near completion

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Irfan Aligi
KARACHI: Of the 16 ongoing development sports projects being undertaken by the City District Government Karachi (CDGK), 10 projects are nearing completion, while the remaining six will be completed by the end of March, said sources privy to the sports development projects.

According to details, the CDGK has allocated Rs 1.20 billion for these projects and work on these was started at the end of 2006. Six of these projects are of international standards and will be fit for holding events of an international level. These include a sports stadium in Sector 11-D of New Karachi Town, for which Rs 1.05 billion have been allocated, a sports stadium in Union Council (UC) 3, Sector 8 of Baldia Town, with a budget of Rs 1.05 billion, a sports stadium in UC-3 of Gulberg Town, with a budget of Rs 1.05 billion, a sports stadium in UC 12 of Landhi Town, with a budget of Rs 1.05 billion, a sports stadium in sector 11.5 of Orangi Town, with a budget of Rs 1.05 billion and a mini sports stadium in Saudabad, Malir Town, with a budget of Rs 42.514 million, said the sources.

Around 40 to 50 percent work on the projects has been completed and they are expected to be operational in March, while work on others is in full swing. The CDGK has claimed that they will be completed within the next six to eight months, added the sources.

Other projects include construction of a pavilion at Red Rose Football Ground in UC 3 of Malir Town, with a budget of Rs 40.291 million, construction of a pavilion ground in UC 2 of Malir Town, with a budget of Rs 41.147 million and construction of a community centre in UC 8 of SITE Town, with a budget of Rs 52.034 million. Moreover, the construction of a KMC sports complex in Sector 37-D of Landhi Town, with a budget of Rs 65.524 million, construction of a stadium in UC 8 of SITE Town with a budget of Rs 80.834 million, construction of a cricket stadium in Sector 11-A of North Karachi, with a budget of Rs 14.375 million, construction of the Shadab Stadium in Sector 13 of Orangi Town, with a budget of Rs 19.700 million, repair work on the Rashid Latif Academy in Korangi No 5, with a budget of Rs 19.700 million, installing Astroturf at Iftikhar Saeed Hockey Ground in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town, with a budget of Rs 51.151 million and also at the Hanif Khan Hockey Stadium in Gulshan-e-Iqbal Town, with a budget of Rs 250 million.

It is pertinent to mention here that there are 12 schemes and 16 units related to the sports development projects. The Sindh government has funded the development work for two schemes and six units, while the remaining schemes and units are funded by the CDGK, added the sources.

Talking to Daily Times, City Nazim Kamal Mustafa said that the Haq Parast city government is focused on providing sports and recreational activities to the citizens of Karachi, along with other development projects such as underpasses, bridges, flyovers and water and sewerage system installations. It is the CDGK that has adopted a policy to lay the foundation stone of all projects after the basic work is completed on it.

The CDGK has initiated 16 sports-related projects in the city and after they are made operational, a healthy change will be seen in the lives of the citizens. These sports related projects will not only provide recreational facilities in the city but they will also improve the city’s image nationally and internationally, as these venues will be of international standards, claimed Kamal.

The CDGK will ensure that maintenance work on the sports facilities is carried out regularly after their completion. The CDGK also plans to create teams of different sports including cricket, hockey and football to name a few, while also providing the youth with coaches and trainers so that the city might once again start producing quality players, vowed Kamal.

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