‘Slow response of utilities causing delay in SFC-III’

[Naveed Yaseen]

By Gibran Ashraf

The delay in the completion of Signal Free Corridor (SFC)-III, especially in the construction of elevated u-turns at Safari Park and at Metro, has been due to ‘the slow reaction’ of utilities, said Engr. Taha of the Works and Services Department of the City District Government Karachi (CDGK).

Taha, who is the in-charge of the construction of the bridge at Samama Shopping mall, said that despite their best efforts to coordinate with other utility services, including the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board (KWSB), Karachi Electric Supply Company (KESC), Sui Gas, and Pakistan Telecommunciations Corporation Limited (PTCL), the lethargy shown by these utilities delayed the project. “Work started on March 22. If there had been no problems, I would have completed my work in a total of three working months. However, this is the fourth working month, and there is still much to do.”

“The Samama Bridge, being built at a cost of 250 million rupees, was put up in just 76 days.

However, it cannot be termed complete till the service lane adjacent to it is not finished.” It is here, according to Taha, that problems begin to surface: the KWSB needs to replace a 24-inch line from Safari Park to Samama. Until and unless that line is not installed, the road cannot be completed, carpeted, and the valves, drains, and manholes cannot be aligned.

Then there is the Rs22million-worth elevated u-turn at Safari Park and the Rs16million-worth elevated u-turn at Abul Hasan Ispahani road. Work on these u-turns stalled due to hindrances in land acquisition near Madhu Goth from the Land authority, while there were delays with the KESC, as work on power lines that needed to be moved commences as late as July 26.

Then there were also problems with strikes, especially those of transportation, but perhaps the biggest impediment was the damage caused by torrential downpour in the city, due to which works at some parts had to be redone. Residents had to face the brunt of the inconvenience, as both tracks of University Road in Block 11 have been upended and there is only one entry and exit point for the area.

“Had there been no strikes, rains, I can assure you that the project would have been completed in three working months,” Taha said.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=191873