KARACHI: The Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) has shown interest to extend financial assistance to launch four projects including Karachi Expressway/Ring Road, S-III, Lining of KB Feeder and Kandhkot-Ghouspur Bridge on River Indus with an estimated cost of Rs. 137.7 billion.
The decision was made in a meeting held between Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Vice President DJ Pandian here at the CM House, said a statement issued here on Wednesday.
The chief minister was assisted by Minister P&D Mir Hazar Khan Bijarani, Minister Transport Syed Nasir Shah, Chief Secretary Rizwan Memon, Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, Principal Secretary to CM Sohail Rajput, Secretary Finance Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Energy Agha Wasif and others.
Referring to greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-III) Project, CM Murad said 500 MGD of wastewater generated in Karachi is being directly disposed of into the Arabian Sea without any treatment. “This is a very serious issue and he want to resolve it at any cost,” he added.
While briefing the visiting team, P&D Chairman Mohammad Waseem informed that work on Rs36.117 billion S-III is in progress and the provincial government from its resources is investing Rs7.982 billion to enhance the capacity of three treatment plants from 561 MGD to 300 MGD and to construct a new treatment plant of 200 MGD.
He said that as per National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQS) requirement, the industrial units are required to undertake pre-treatment of industrial effluent before discharging into municipal sewerage system.
Presently 94 MGD industrial effluent is generated from five industrial estate of Karachi and disposed of directly into the open drain as municipal sewerage system.
The chief minister said that due to cost escalation of the S-III at Rs36.117 billion, the provincial government needs Rs28 billion to complete the project.
He said that with the establishment of five combined effluent treatment plants, the provincial government would be able to meet WTO requirements for seafood exports and other issues such as protection of natural water bodies from contamination, safeguarding of soil and ground water and protection of agricultural crops from contamination would also be addressed.
The chairman giving financial aspects of the KB Feeder project said that it would cost Rs20 billion.
Sharing details about Malir Expressway/Karachi Ring Road, the CM said that Karachi has a north-western bypass whereas a mega city like Karachi should have a proper ring road to facilitate traffic, hence there is an urgent need to construct a south-eastern bypass.
He added that the proposed corridor would provide efficient movement of vehicular traffic and goods from Karachi port to other parts of the country.
Syed Murad Ali Shah talking about the proposed Ring Road further said that the two major settlements, DHA City and Bahria Town are developing at a very fast pace which requires an alternate road network to alleviate the sufferings of commuters.
Giving status of the project, chairman P&D said that expression of interest for construction of the road on BOT basis was invited by the local government department. The EIA study is under process and PC-I is being prepared.
The AIIB delegation was also briefed on other projects but they showed their interest in four projects, S-III, KB Feeder Lining, Malir Expressway/Ring Road and Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge on River Indus.
The Vice President of AIIB Mr DJ Pandian urged the chief minister to send details, present status of the projects and concept papers to them so that they could present them into their board meeting.
The AIIB Vice president nominated his focal person to receive the papers to be sent to him by chairman P&D to finalise and approve them.