KARACHI | 24-km Karachi Elevated Expressway [Archive]

Metropole

March 2nd, 2006, 06:07 AM

Agreement signed for 24-km elevated expressway

By Fasahat Mohiuddin

KARACHI: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has termed the signing of agreement for the construction of 24-kilometer elevated expressway from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad, at a cost of $225 million, as a revolution in the communication and economic sectors of Karachi as well as Pakistan.

The project includes construction of 24-kilometer long and 25-meter wide expressway having three lanes on each side. The expressway would be constructed in three years time.

He said this during the signing of agreement between a Malaysian firm IJM Corporation Ltd and City District Government Karachi (CDGK) held at a local hotel on Wednesday. CDGK was represented by City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal, while Mr Dato Goh Chye Koon signed the agreement on behalf of IJM. Sindh Governor Dr Isharatul Ebad, City Naib Nazim Mrs Nasreen Jalil, DC Karachi Fazlur Rehman, all the EDOs of CDGK as well as US Consul General in Karachi Marry Witt were also present on the occasion.

Speaking on the occasion, Mustafa Kamal said that this project was formalized after an exercise of two-and-a-half months, adding that this project would be completed at a fast pace following which Pakistan would also move with the same pace.

"This is one of the biggest projects of CDGK and not just an MOU as we have completed all the formalities with a practical approach," he added.

After completing this project the company would collect toll tax for a period of 15 years, he said and added that this expressway would serve as Southern Bypass and a link to Airport for sea port.

Mustafa said the idea for an elevated expressway was conceived in view of Sharea Faisal becoming highly congested for traffic and causing great inconvenience to patients, particularly during VVIPs movement, who would stuck up in traffic jams.

"We are committed to resolve the problems of common man and this project is a practical approach towards this end," he added.

Talking to The News after the ceremony, Deputy CEO and Deputy Managing Director of IJM Corporation Berhad, Dato Goh Koon, said: "We will start preparing feasibility of this project from today and hand over the same to CDGK after six months". Besides, the corporation would soon establish an office in Karachi, he added.

Explaining salient features of the project, he said the elevated expressway would have six inter-changes at Quaidabad inter-section, Star Gate, HIR Road, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, Hotel Metropole and Jinnah Bridge (Native Jetty).

According to him, Phase-I of the project includes feasibility study and designing of the project, to be completed within a period of six months, which would be followed by engineering, procurement, financing, construction, operation, maintenance and transfer of the project.

Under Phase II the IJM Corporation shall be entitled to levy, demand and collect an appropriate fee from vehicles and persons using the elevated expressway.

The CDGK will handover to IJM Corporation the physical possession of the site within 60 days together with the necessary rights of way/way leaves for the implementation of Phase-I .

Earlier, Dato Goh Chye Koon welcomed the City Nazim and said, "Today’s signing of agreement will mark a new history for the city of Karachi.

http://www.jang.com.pk/thenews/mar2006-daily/02-03-2006/metro/k1.htm

merijanpakistan

March 2nd, 2006, 06:21 AM

Salam,

My Lord! This is a really good news. This is a 6-lane expressway! (3-lanes per side).

Intrestingly, the Nazim said, it is not just an MOU, but that they ARE going for this one.

Truly a good news.

Peace.

moby_khan

March 2nd, 2006, 07:07 AM

great news for great karachi peoples...

Kashmiri84

March 2nd, 2006, 08:54 AM

swerveut

March 2nd, 2006, 08:54 AM

Very good news, I am also including this in the Karachi news thread.

March 2nd, 2006, 09:07 AM

A very good project indeed, will help alot in reducing Karachi's mammoth traffic mess

swerveut

March 2nd, 2006, 09:12 AM

IJM Corporation Berhad (104131-A)
Announcement
February 22, 2006 Updated : 22/02/2006

Construction of Elevated Expressway Along Shahrah-E-Faisal from Quaidabad Intersection to Jinnah Bridge in Karachi, Pakistan on Annuity Concept

The Company has received a Letter of Intent dated 17 February 2006 from City District Government Karachi, Pakistan for the Design and Construction of Elevated Expressway along Shahrah-e-Faisal from Quaidabad Intersection to Jinnah Bridge, Karachi on an Annuity Concept ("the Project"). The project costs will be determined at the end of Phase I studies.

The Project will be implemented in two (2) phases. Phase I of the Project involves financial feasibility study and engineering design, which shall be completed within six (6) months. In the event that the parties do not enter into an agreement for implementing Phase II for whatever reason, the Company shall be entitled to claim costs and expenses incurred for the purposes of carrying out the obligations in Phase I.

The construction of the Elevated Expressway will be undertaken within thirty (30) months from the date of commencement under the Phase II Agreement. The Phase II Agreement will be signed upon the completion of the work under Phase I. A wholly-owned special purpose vehicle will be incorporated in Pakistan to undertake Phase II of the Project.

None of the Directors nor substantial shareholders of the Company, or persons connected with them, has any interest, direct or indirect, in the transaction.

http://www.ijm.com/announ_060222.htm

siali

March 2nd, 2006, 03:36 PM

Muxch needed development. I was in KHI last month, it resemble like Southeast Asian cities of 80-90s, construction everywhere. Flyovers every where. Once the Northern bypass and Lyarie expressways are completed, Karachi would be shining again.

NewYork-wala

March 3rd, 2006, 01:12 AM

NewYork-wala

March 3rd, 2006, 01:14 AM

I'm not so crazy about elevated motorways so much as improved rail-based public transportation. $250,000,000 sure could be useful in developing a tram network or metro system, but I guess its better than nothing.
Your right... Motorways dont neccesarily reduce trafiic but public transport does. The famous Robert Moses, the New York developer discovered this in New York way back...

siali

March 3rd, 2006, 03:55 PM

Karachi is virtually under construction. II Chundrigar Rd, Sh Faisal and Clifton Rd, new signs are up for new buildings. New develiopments near Ph 8 DHA, Arabian Sea Country Club, Super Highway and the new sites at Northern bypass. Everywhere the buzz is high rise for economic revival. Cranes are up so are the bulldozers. Traffic jams even at 2 am, every hr is a rush hr. Karachi seems just alright and wish all the best to my fellow citizens.

Metropole

March 6th, 2006, 02:48 AM

Expressway to link New Karachi with Tower

Nazim says EoIs will be invited soon

By Fasahat Mohiuddin

KARACHI: Karachi is to have another elevated expressway — from New Karachi to Merewether Tower — which will ensure speedy flow of traffic and tackle the problem of congestion on city’s arterial roads.

City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal disclosed this exclusively to The News at his office the other day.

After the signing of a deal for a similar expressway from Jinnah Bridge to Airport last week, this would be the "second biggest gift" to the citizens, he said, adding that Expressions of Interest (EoIs) for the ambitious project would be invited "very soon".

In the same way as an agreement was signed with a Malaysian firm, IJM, for the first elevated expressway last week, bids would be called for the second one as well, and the company qualifying this process would be awarded the contract. Mustafa said the city government had adopted a policy of public-private partnership. He said IJM will also bring finances for the expressway connecting Airport with the Jinnah Bridge and, in return, will collect toll tax for 15 years.

He said Karachi, with a population of 14 million, is spread over 1800 square kilometers and has a long network of main roads, arteries and sub-roads. With a burgeoning population, the number of vehicles is also increasing by the day.

It may be mentioned that traffic jams on Shahra-e-Faisal have become a routine as the key artery is often used for VVIP movement. Traffic volumes on various intersections of Shahra-e-Faisal vary from 1,21,641 vehicles to 2,58,005 vehicles during the daytime. At peak hours, most intersections reach saturation levels.

All the traffic emanating from, or heading towards, Port Qasim, Pakistan Steel, and Export Promotion Zone use Shahra-e-Faisal, putting added pressure on the already clogged road. The situation becomes miserable for motorists at intersections where it takes quite long for snarl-ups to clear.

Most mega cities of the world have one or more signal-free corridors to allow travel without interruption. "We are trying to reduce traveling time of citizens," Mustafa said. Once the signal-free corridor from Jinnah Bridge to Quidabad is complete, it will take 40 percent less time than it does now to travel between the two points. He said elevated expressway from New Karachi to Merewether Tower will also reduce traveling time to a large extent and ease pressure on their wallets.

Replying to a question, he said the two elevated expressways, once commissioned, will provide employment to a large number of skilled and unskilled people.

He said all encroachments coming in the way of expressways would be removed. A survey in this regard was being carried out.

He said the two expressways would be included in the City Master Plan of 2020 which is under preparation. Underground utility lines are the biggest hurdle in the way of its completion. "But we have resolved the matter and very soon the master plan would be in place with its digital maps," he said.

He said the only solution of traffic congestion in the city was a mass transit programme.

swerveut

March 6th, 2006, 03:22 AM

BAD NEWS BAD NEWS!!!

This new expressway article you just posted is an IMMENSE CAUSE FOR CONCERN!!

Any expressway passing through to Merewether Tower from New Karachi will have to pass through M. A. Jinnah road. The historic city center of Karachi where all of its history is based.

If that happens, it can PERMANENTLY THREATEN Karachi's historic heritage and identity.

The CDGK needs to let the public know of its intentions about this expressway in full detail so we can be aware of what disadvantages it can have for the city.

mehdi_cs

March 8th, 2006, 12:55 PM

March 8th, 2006, 03:22 PM

Im not sure they will build this 2nd expressway ..

Just seems too fake and secondly, why? We have the Lyari Expressway, the Northern Bypass, now the Southern Bypass, so why make Karachi a hub of Expressways!

swerveut

March 8th, 2006, 07:22 PM

100% correct point.
i hope they have alternate ways to achieve this but if they dont have there arises a question
progress or historical heritage?
because it indeed needs traffic management anyway or m i wrong?

There is no question of choosing between the two!
Both are important! I would definitely stress heritage being more important.
YOU JUST CANT GO LOSING YOUR IDENTITY IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS! :bash:

What is needed here is extensive planning to make sure that both goals can be achieved. There are ways that transit can be made effective while also preserving a city's historical center. Lots of cities have done it. So can Karachi.
Needless to say, any plan that ends up destroying the city's historical center is completely unacceptable.

swerveut

March 10th, 2006, 07:57 AM

IJM Corporation Berhad (104131-A)
Announcement
March 8, 2006 Updated : 08/03/2006

Agreement for Phase I of the Construction of Elevated Expressway along Shahrah-E-Faisal from Quaidabad Intersection to Jinnah Bridge in Karachi, Pakistan on Annuity Concept

Further to the announcement dated 22 February 2006, the Company has on 1 March 2006 signed an Agreement for Phase I of the Construction of Elevated Expressway along Shahrah-E-Faisal from Quaidabad Intersection to Jinnah Bridge in Karachi, Pakistan on Annuity Concept ("the Project") with the City District Government Karachi ("CDGK"), Pakistan.

Phase I of the Project involves financial feasibility study and engineering design, which shall be completed within six (6) months. The construction of the Elevated Expressway will be undertaken within thirty (30) months from the date of commencement under the Phase II Agreement. The Phase II Agreement will be signed upon the completion of the work under Phase I.

The total project cost, which comprises Phase I and Phase II of the Project, is estimated to be USD225,000,000 (approximately RM830,000,000). The actual cost of the Project will be determined upon the completion of Phase I.

Under the Annuity Concept, the Company will operate and maintain the Expressway for twenty (20) years after its completion, and will collect toll on behalf of the CDGK. The Company will be paid in two (2) semi-annual payments over twenty (20) years.

The Company will be responsible for arranging and obtaining funds to finance the construction, operation and maintenance of the Elevated Expressway. The CDGK, solely or jointly with the Government of Sindh, Pakistan, will provide sovereign guarantee for the repayment of the funds raised by the Company.

http://www.ijm.com/announ_060308b.htm

swerveut

April 11th, 2006, 09:13 AM

KUALA LUMPUR: Feasibility of expressway

KUALA LUMPUR, April 10: The feasibility study and engineering design of the 24km elevated expressway from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad will be completed by July 2006, one month ahead of schedule.

Karachi Nazim Mustafa Kamal was informed about it during his talks with Dato Krishnan Tan, the CEO of Malaysian IJM Corporation Berhad.

Mr Tan told the nazim that this would facilitate ground breaking of US$225 million mega project in August. He said that setting up of joint task force would definitely assist in achieving completion of elevated expressway in three years.

IJM is setting up an office in Karachi, headed by a country director with his technical team, to start ground survey work and traffic studies along this corridor within a week.

The expressway will have three lanes on each side. On completion, IJM will collect toll tax for a period of 15 years. It will serve as Southern Bypass and a link to airport for the two seaports of Karachi.

IJM indicated that it was interested in making investment in infrastructure development and other mega projects in Karachi in view of opportunities and facilities available.—PPI

http://www.dawn.com/2006/04/11/local18.htm

cntower

April 11th, 2006, 12:53 PM

Ever heard of the Bostan "Big Dig"?

Karachi could sure as hell use one...

moby_khan

April 11th, 2006, 11:49 PM

Ever heard of the Bostan "Big Dig"?

Karachi could sure as hell use one...

"Boston Big Dig" will cost over 15 billion dollars and that project will completed around 2012...i dont think Pakistan can afford project like "BIG DIG"..

astObs

April 12th, 2006, 12:40 AM

Let me get this clear, are they building an elevated expressway over Shara-e-Faisal?

April 12th, 2006, 06:57 AM

^ Yes, Sharea Faisal and apart from that some parts surrounding it (Where it is not feasible)

astObs

April 12th, 2006, 12:56 PM

April 12th, 2006, 03:24 PM

^ No the Subzazar plots were buldozed down because the owner of those plots had violated a rule/law that he had initially agreed to with the real owners of the plot (KW&SB I believe)

Red aRRow

April 12th, 2006, 04:27 PM

Hmm, that really sucks. Don't you all think that it will kill all the life of that road? It's sad to see city-planners there making the same mistakes that were made here fifty years ago.

WTF?? What 'life of the road' will be killed by having more development??

Are you talking about the road's lifespan or the activities happening on the road?

swerveut

April 12th, 2006, 06:16 PM

^^ Well traffic on shahrah-e-faisal has increased exponentially over the last couple of years since its the only road of its kind in the city. The traffic volume on the road and the jams during rush hours have already killed its life. The expressway I think might be above ground, will have few interchanges, and will be tolled. Overall, I think once you are on the expressway, you will feel better about Shahrah-e-Faisal than it currently is. Hopefully, it will meet up with the Lyari expressway on the Jinnah Bridge on the port, so you will have two interconnected expressways traversing Karachi. Add to that the signal free road (in planning) from the Krasaz intersection to somewhere in SITE (which might also be served by the Lyari Expressway) and you'd have something of a more modern patterned city road system in Karachi once it actually gets around to being built.

asfar001

April 12th, 2006, 07:27 PM

plus all the traffic jams on the road coause havoc for the people...and put so much burden on the gas and oil bills on the economy?? did u think of tht astobs

Unregistered

April 13th, 2006, 10:03 PM

Well, I sure as hell dont hope Pakistan ever gets a Big Dig sort of thing going in Pakistan. It is one of the worst managed project ever, with billions of dollars and years over run. Plus, it already needs fixing on several places becuz of contractor corruption. Its a classic case of what not to do in Project management people. Be careful what u wish for.

astObs

April 13th, 2006, 10:47 PM

Hmm, I'm instinctively against highways and car based planning but in this case I'll accept that highways have to be built in order to deal with the exponential growth in the number of cars. I don't claim knowledge of what's best for the city but I just wish that they could find some alignment for the expressway other than Sharea Faisal.

merijanpakistan

April 14th, 2006, 04:51 AM

Salam,
Hmm, I'm instinctively against highways and car based planning but in this case I'll accept that highways have to be built in order to deal with the exponential growth in the number of cars. I don't claim knowledge of what's best for the city but I just wish that they could find some alignment for the expressway other than Sharea Faisal.

astObs, I agree with your views here regarding private transport sytem. I'm kind'a against the concept, and so I like Public Transport systems.... they are less expansive (comparatively), are extremely efficient (compared to private transport), very environmental friendly (especially Mass Transits on electric), have less noise pollution, gives less crowded appearence, and finally creates a feeling of social equality.

I would, in general, prefer Mass Transit over private cars.... but in this case, I would like this project to be completed.

Since this one is over-head highway, it would be an efficient and modern way of solving traffic problem on this vital highway of Karachi.

Peace.

Kashmiri84

April 14th, 2006, 10:42 PM

It will only solve traffic problems for a few months... Like they learned in LA, the more highways you build, the more highway there is to get jammed up

swerveut

April 14th, 2006, 11:30 PM

^^ true. I wonder what the heck happened to the KMTP corridor I. A couple of years of noise making to get people to support you during tough political times, big dreamy unpractical promises like the maglev, then it all gets forgotten.

April 15th, 2006, 11:42 AM

^ True, I think it would help if the Mass Transit cell for Karachi would infact go in the city and ask people what they want, that is regular rail, mono-rail, more buses etc.

Or they should visit other countries where mass transit has been successful, so that they have an idea.

Red aRRow

April 15th, 2006, 12:56 PM

http://files.photojerk.com/chinaphoto/sh16005.jpg

http://files.photojerk.com/chinaphoto/sh16002.jpg

I want the future Karachi to look like the present day Shanghai. :D
Check out the elevated expressways.

PakiDoperz

April 15th, 2006, 04:10 PM

Red aRRow>>>>>>> umeed peh duniya kaim hai mere bhai

UnitedPakistan

April 15th, 2006, 05:28 PM

Why dont we try to build something better?

Better than any other city on the world?

We must aim high in order to create a better Pakistan. AIM FOR THE SKY!

singaporean

July 3rd, 2006, 06:31 AM

KARACHI, July 2: The city government has decided to acquire services of a consortium of foreign and local consultants for the supervision of the construction work of a 24km long elevated expressway from Quaidabad to Jinnah Bridge.

Speaking at a high-level meeting on Saturday, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal asked the officials concerned to get services of a consultant to oversee the project, on which work would be initiated next month.

The meeting was informed that advertisements in this regard have been published for entrusting the work to a well-known and experienced foreign company. The role of this company / consortium will be limited to providing consultancy services in connection with the design and supervision of the project and it will be called for inspection whenever the needed.

The prospective consortiums had been asked to submit two different bids containing details of their technical skills and financial estimates which can be submitted to the department concerned of the city government by July 20.

It may be mentioned here that a contract in connection with the construction of the elevated expressway was signed between the city government and a Malaysian company IJM Corporation Barhad in March this year. Under the agreement, the said company will be responsible for construction, financing and operating the expressway for 20 years.

KARSAZ FLYOVER: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Sunday asked the contractor of Karsaz flyover to expedite the work on the project, warning that legal action would be taken against him if he failed to do so within a week.

He was speaking at a meeting summoned in his office to review the pace of ongoing uplift works. The city nazim said that the work on the ongoing uplift projects should be carried out in three shifts.

Mr Kamal said that the Karsaz flyover should be completed by the end of August, as its delay was affecting signal-free corridor project.

DCO Fazalur Rehman, KWSB MD Iftikhar Haider, EDO Master Plan Iftikhar Qaimkhani and others were present.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/07/03/local16.htm

pakimuslim

July 3rd, 2006, 12:33 PM

Red aRRow :yes karachi karachi will be like this when it will have this expressway completed with its interchanges and some other expressways. I cant wait to see karachi like that!!

TahaQ

July 3rd, 2006, 12:44 PM

Pardon my ignorance, but I've been to Karachi many times and to Shara-e-Faisal too, and it doesn't exactly seem to have the space available to develop a complex system of elevated roads like the one in the Shanghai picture.

Can anyone shed light into how they are planning on implementing this project on the already tight road?

swerveut

July 3rd, 2006, 09:15 PM

I am waiting for the website update by IJM corp http://www.ijm.com so we can get more information. Alternatively, please try emailing somebody in IJM to find out more details.

Rkhan

July 5th, 2006, 03:36 PM

^ i dont think that the project has been handed over to IJM as yet. they are still in the process of strikign a deal. tats the idea i get from kamal's interviews.

September 1st, 2006, 04:03 AM

Well the groundbreaking was supposed to start in August and August has officially ended.

I checked out IJM's website and it still has no signs of the Elevated Expressway, but their "Projects" site was last updated on the 10th of August so either we await their news update or maybe someone else has any inside stories as to whats happening?

Red aRRow

September 1st, 2006, 07:15 PM

LOL this seems to be another one of Mustafa Kamal's 'khayali pulaoo' projects. :lol:

moazzam

September 5th, 2006, 06:24 PM

this is a big project.... its under desigining phase...geveronment is still hiring some furms for evaluation and corsscheacking. which is almost compeleted...
inshallah it will start soon....

September 6th, 2006, 12:09 AM

^ Well lets hope it does soon.

Red aRRow

September 6th, 2006, 12:24 PM

EXPRESSWAY: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal has said that the city government has undertaken the elevated expressway project as the first public-private partnership venture.

Speaking at a briefing about the project at a local hotel here on Tuesday, he said that after completion of this 24-kilometre expressway, traffic problem in the city would ease considerably.

He said that the toll tax on this road would be reasonable. He said that ramps would be built at several places along the expressway to facilitate movement of vehicles.

Meanwhile, the city nazim visited various graveyards and asked the Works & Services Department to complete carpeting of all the approach and inner roads. He also asked the KWSB to replace the defective sewerage line passing through the Old Golimar and running into the Mewashah Graveyard within two days.

http://www.dawn.com/2006/09/06/local21.htm

cntower

September 7th, 2006, 10:41 AM

^ That still dosen't answer if they are starting now...

swerveut

October 4th, 2006, 08:59 AM

Another over-hyped-up project that just vanished into thin air. Good big projects in Karachi never see the light of day. Just like the KMTP Corridor I.

moazzam

October 7th, 2006, 10:24 PM

tow days back citygovernoment invited another tender for evaluation and cross cheacking of this project. project is still in initial paper work stage.

swerveut

October 8th, 2006, 09:58 AM

Dont you just love how the CDGK habitually gives bad deadlines for projects? You should always add six months to a year to any date they give for a project to start or finish. Either we have a ridiculously inefficient government, or the Nazim is just full of shi+ and leads us on.

October 8th, 2006, 10:38 AM

The Mayor is indeed full of shit, the other day I was watching his interview and he just totally humiliated the Ex-Mayor (Naimatullah Khan) saying that growing 2 Feet Beards never prove anything and disgusting stuff like that.

I totally lost respect for the mayor, because you should never criticize a person so much that you yourself start to look disgusting to the viewer.

Whatever the ex-Nazim did, he was the one who started this whole Reconstruction of Karachi package.

He should have more respect for other, especially elders since the ex-Mayor was very aged as compared to him.

And what has he proved yet? Look at this project! look at the KMTP program, building speed breakers infront of Underpasses!

silal

October 8th, 2006, 12:59 PM

It's amazing how much our government is willing to spend on roads and infrastructure. In a way it's good: better infrastructure, better transportation and hence greater economic opportunities. But I think we're skipping the root problem here i.e. driving habits. The government can spend just a fraction of that money on establishing institutions that improving the driving behaviors in the country. This coupled with mass transit systems such as buses and subways could really help our traffic situation. The government should also pay attention to proper signage and markings on roads around the country. Once people have the awareness to follow rules following proper lanes and stop signs, for example, would have a drastic impact. Take the Canal Road in Lahore as an example. It's 2 lanes wide, but it's almost always jam-packed with traffic with people swishing by you from either sides and slow and unpredictable traffic such as rickshaws and motorcycles. If the traffic police in Lahore could limit access to it and provide awareness on keeping lanes, perhaps it wouldn't be such a mess and could prove to be a life-line for Lahore since it cuts right through the city.

moazzam

October 8th, 2006, 11:18 PM

yes naimatullah is a good man... he shouldnt humilated him like that.
but i am still possitive about the current governoment....
i hope they will do better... or atleast try to copy naimatullah.
Mustafa kamal has come up with some good plans as well... wich naimatullah really skiped...
1) Current governoment is putting more money in rehabiliatioin of underground drainage and sewarage system (and they are doing work in almost every locality) rather then cosmatics.
2) Shifting of all utilities lines (Gas, Water, Sawrage, Telephone, KESC) to one side of the roads. its really important for longer road life and smooth flow of traffice during reparing of undergorund cabels or sewarage lines.
3) Finalizing the master plan of karachi.
4) more bridges and underpasses are planned and near compeletion as compare to naimatullahs period. i am really impressd to see the fast pace of work on national stadium flyover, hussan square flyover, karsaz flyover. (construction quality is good as well) well underpass has proper drainage system, no need of spead breaker in front of underpass when compeleted 5) Idea of signal free corridore is excelent. 1st corridor is near compeletion. soon work on second corridore will start...
6) work on carpeting of road after rain is going well..

i dont blame mustafa kamal for the flooding of roads and underpass during rain season...... its the fault of previous nazim that he didnt initiate any work for replacing old sewarage and drainage lines even after the rains badly ruins karachis infrastrusture in 2003.

swerveut

November 11th, 2006, 09:52 AM

Anybody knows what happened to this project? It was due to be started in August, but like th emuch touted Mass Transit project, it simply disappeared.

siamu maharaj

November 11th, 2006, 07:36 PM

It's gone the way of KMTP. Seriously, I've learned a few good lessons:

1> Any over-ambitious project will never move beyond the drawing board. Not gonna happen, move along, nothing to see. If it sounds too good to be true, it most probably is. eg. Port Tower Complex, this, Maglev, soon-to-be-added Emaar's vision of Diamond Bar City.

2> Even if it's a not-so-ambitious project, if it doesn't start within a few months, it was just some guy's wet dream that he shared with the public by mistake.

3> Names like Rabia Pride are usually good bets.

Sorry for sounding negative on such a forum, but it is true.

UnitedPakistan

November 11th, 2006, 07:42 PM

Most of it seems restricted to Karachi and Sindh. That says a lot about the local government and the provincial governments of the province.

November 11th, 2006, 09:58 PM

Rabia Pride, hmm what do you say about Hameeda Heights?

Its being built a couple of blocks from my place.

siamu maharaj

November 12th, 2006, 08:55 AM

It says the obvious. Name all the projects after some common woman's name. Attach a noun that makes it sound doubly tacky. Voilà! The winning formula.

As for this being restricted to Karachi/Sindh, I am not really the person to comment on it. Primarily because I usually have no about what goes on outside of Karachi, except a few notable projects (Centaurus, SZ-something, LHE). I do have to say, those two have started, so you could be right.

What I CAN comment on, is why this happens in Karachi. Inter alia, the reasons are:

1> Opening the mouth too soon. As soon as someone think that something could work, they start talking about it. It's like telling everyone that you fucked your wife. Seriously, only tell when she's at least pregnant, we don't want to know about your failed attempts. It's the same thing. We don't want to know what plans you have, you may have thousands, but we only care about the ones that will actually pan out.

2> The lack of will. If you are hell-bent upon doing something, you will. But if there are a bunch of incompetent fucks running the show, then there would be a lot of hot air. Granted, a lot of projects have started. But not enough.

There are many others, but most stem from these. What's surprising is that a lot of people are willing to invest in Karachi. Especially the rich Arab Sheiks. All that government needs to do is assure that they'd be able to carry out the work without any problems or red-tape, etc. I mean, you won't even need to put any of your own money.

November 12th, 2006, 02:00 PM

The problem with our people in power is that whatever they dream of doing, they announce it in the news like they are all set to embark on that project.

Like if the Governor dreams of having a DisneyLand style park in Karachi he might even announce in in the morning that we will build that, without proper planning or even proper thinking.

Sadly this project will go down the drain aswell, which it already has. It was nothing more then a dream of our beloved Mayor and his MQMites who must have thought it as a "Lush" idea.

I, personally dont see this project being built. The reason being that it will take way too long for it to be completed (Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad is simple like North to South of Karachi), and our current City-level leadership is more interested in quick results and quick points for their leadership.

This project will take a long time and not to mention the hurdles on its way (Construction of On/Off Ramps, Pillars etc.) may prove difficult for our leadership as they are very in-experienced in handling issues like these.

So in my opinion, to avoid embarrasment among our fellow people we should avoid even making a topic for projects like these, unless the Ground-breaking is completed and the first bricks are laid out.

siamu maharaj

November 12th, 2006, 05:04 PM

I agree, except for one little part. It'd be West to East of Karachi. Nitpicking aside, yes, we should stop putting our hopes up. Knowing our government's predilection for opening their mouths too soon, maybe we should not start a thread for every pipedream of their's.

swerveut

November 12th, 2006, 06:53 PM

well this project wasnt just a pipe dream though. A memorandum was signed and IJM conducted soil and elevational studies. Then there was also an ad in the the newspapers from the CDGK that it was looking for some company to recheck all the design plans. But afterwards, no announcement from the CDGK or IJM and the project just seemed to have vanished into thin air. Just like it all happened with KMTP.

I think all that is lacking here is the transparency in the government. If it was anywhere in the States and the project had run into some snags, the government would have announced it and it would have been in the papers. But sadly, this isnt the case in Pakistan where massive deals are made behind the curtains and the public only finds out when its all been done.

Metropole

November 13th, 2006, 11:38 PM

Its very easy to guess what happened. The news was that the Malaysian company IJM will first do a feasibility study over the first six months and then the work will start. During the feasibility study they would look at the financial viability of the project and then the physical viability of constructing it.

I don't know if they've yet finished the feasibility. It may be that they're still doing it and haven't come to a final conclusion. If they have abandoned the project it will be because it is not financially viable.

It's very hard to imagine having such a vital highway running right through the heart of the city being based on collecting tolls. Knowing how averse people are to paying tolls, the road may not be able to collect much money. And can you imagine having lineups at toll booths along major city intersections?

In all other countries of the world such infrastructure projects are funded by governments not private companies. However, in Pakistan, Karachi is expected to get private companies to build the infrastructure as can be seen from the funding model for this project, the mass transit project (KMTP) and also the electricity company (KESC).

Its rare in the world for infrastructure projects to make money. Karachi is no exception, therefore these things will NOT get built.

The local politicians have the same dreams as everyone else but if the financial feasibility is not there then there's nothing anyone can do.

swerveut

November 14th, 2006, 08:02 AM

^^ even though your logic is correct, the fate of this project is still speculative. I think the feasibility study was completed however, and that IJM prepared designs for the highway as well because the CDGK earlier published an ad inviting companies to recheck the design. I think the CDGK just needs to come out now and admit what happened.

As far as toll roads go, I am pretty sure most Karachiites would probably bear a traffic jam rather than pay toll and that the highway will take a LONG time to actually make profit. However, this isnt true of all infrastructure projects. In particular if KMTP is FINALLY actually built and the millions of mini buses disposed off, I am pretty sure that a massive majority of the people will start using it regularly pretty quick.

November 14th, 2006, 08:07 AM

Its just amazing how none of the Reporters tracking the Mayor cannot ask a question about this project.

lebron

November 14th, 2006, 12:56 PM

There is no question of choosing between the two!
Both are important! I would definitely stress heritage being more important.
YOU JUST CANT GO LOSING YOUR IDENTITY IN THE NAME OF PROGRESS! :bash:

What is needed here is extensive planning to make sure that both goals can be achieved. There are ways that transit can be made effective while also preserving a city's historical center. Lots of cities have done it. So can Karachi.
Needless to say, any plan that ends up destroying the city's historical center is completely unacceptable.

yes you are right heritage is heritage . I think if CDGK plans well with help from some outer based companies they will achieve both goals.

lebron

November 14th, 2006, 01:02 PM

cntower

December 8th, 2006, 03:03 PM

This is Lyari Expressway your talking about right?

Or another one...

oogabooga

December 8th, 2006, 03:23 PM

December 8th, 2006, 04:25 PM

:lol:

moazzam

December 8th, 2006, 04:55 PM

i have heard that they have done soil testing... and ready for construction in 1 or 2 months.

swerveut

December 8th, 2006, 05:53 PM

IJM the contractors of the project dont show it anywhere on their website as a project.

oogabooga

January 5th, 2007, 02:59 PM

KARACHI: The construction of the 24-kilometer long elevated expressway from Quaidabad to Jinnah Bridge, Merrewether Tower would be started soon, City Nazim Mustafa Kamal said Thursday while visiting a Korean vehicle manufacturing firm’s assembling plant in Razzaqabad.

The elevated expressway will be built with foreign funding, and will be completed within three years.

The assembling plant in Razzaqabad, which has the capacity of manufacturing 3,000 CNG buses per year, as well as trucks, mini-trucks and other vehicle, is being viewed as a job-generator for unemployed youth. The first CNG bus assembled at the plant will be brought out in March.

Appreciating the firm’s decision of choosing Karachi for their assembling plant, Kamal said, “Karachi is one of the best cities in the world for investment, and the city government is making all-out efforts for facilitating investors as much as possible.”

The nazim further asked the company’s officials to network with local and international investors for contributing to other sub-sections in the city’s transportation sector, besides bus-manufacturing.

Sewerage work inspected: Shah Faisal Town Nazim Mohammed Imran said Thursday that the town administration was working for the early completion of projects, including the laying of new sewerage lines and the replacement of old ones.

This, Imran said, would improve the sewerage system in Shah Faisal Town, as well as surrounding areas. Pipe-laying projects are underway in Union Councils 2, 3, 4 and 7 in the town. The nazim was further informed about new development schemes to be launched in other UCs in Shah Faisal Town.

Staff report adds: “The initial documentation for the projects in UC 2, 3, 4 and 6 has begun. The tenders will be passed on February 2,” Shah Faisal Town UC-2 Nazim Muhammad Sagheer told Daily Times. “In UC-2, we have allocated Rs 5,000,000 for sewerage projects, Rs 3,000,000 for the development of roads, Rs 1,000,000 for the alleviation of katchi abadis, and Rs 500,000 for street lights. We’re working very hard for these projects, and by the end of 2007, we will have changed the face of Shah Faisal Town for the better.”

Dailytimes Online Edition Friday, January 05, 2007 (http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\01\05\story_5-1-2007_pg12_6)

oogabooga

January 5th, 2007, 03:04 PM

KARACHI: First CNG bus likely in March

KARACHI, Jan 4: City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal on Thursday said the government’s encouraging and investment-friendly policies as well as speedy uplift of infrastructure had improved Karachi’s reputation the world over.

He said that construction of 24km long elevated expressway with foreign investment would soon begin and Korean firm’s plant in Karachi for manufacturing CNG-buses was part of the same sequence.

The nazim said this while visiting Daewoo’s assembling plant in Razzaqabad adding that the government would extend all-out cooperation to investors.

He said the assembling plant had a capacity of manufacturing 3,000 CNG buses a year, which would not only provide job opportunities to locals but also benefit citizens to travel in comfortable and modern vehicles.

“We have no shortage of qualified youngsters but what they need is better opportunities. The manufacturing of CNG buses in Karachi will benefit local workers to work and learn latest technology”, he said. Mr Kamal lauded the Korean company for choosing Karachi for their venture.

The nazim said that the city government had initiated uplift projects at a fast pace, which was evident from the fact that flyovers were being constructed in record five and half months period.

He informed the foundation stone for the construction of 24-kilometer long elevated expressway was expected to be laid down.

He was of the view that the project, which starts from Quaidabad and terminates at the Jinnah Bridge, Merewether Tower, would be completed within three years.

Mr Kamal said that Karachi had become a perfect choice for big investors to put their money in various sectors as uplift projects worth billion of rupees were already under way.

He said the government would fully cooperate with the companies and individuals who wanted to invest in Karachi’s transport sector.

“Karachi is a huge market and any company or individual interested in investing in its transport sector would get all cooperation and benefits from us,” he said.

Earlier, the Daewoo officials briefed the city nazim on the assembling plant with a capacity to produce 3,000 CNG buses a year as well as trucks, mini-trucks and other vehicles. They said the first CNG bus would be available to ply on roads in March.

Dawn Online Edition January 05, 2007 (http://www.dawn.com/2007/01/05/local5.htm)

January 5th, 2007, 07:33 PM

^ I think Mustafa Kamal might be laid down to rest before the foundation is laid ..

mehdi_cs

January 5th, 2007, 08:31 PM

^^ why do you say like this?

Red aRRow

January 5th, 2007, 11:06 PM

^ I think Mustafa Kamal might be laid down to rest before the foundation is laid ..

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

paguma larvata

January 5th, 2007, 11:50 PM

^ I think Mustafa Kamal might be laid down to rest before the foundation is laid ..

:bash: :bash: :bash: :lol: :lol: :lol: :lol:

January 6th, 2007, 01:02 AM

Maybe they will lay the foundation as a tribute to the late Mayor of Karachi?

"This foundation stone is in memory of one of the greatest Mayors in the history of Karachi, unfortunately he was stoned to death 10 years back"

Another project I have lost hope on ..

Pakia

January 6th, 2007, 01:09 AM

Why dont we try to build something better?

Better than any other city on the world?

We must aim high in order to create a better Pakistan. AIM FOR THE SKY!

:righton: Kudos UP. I totally agree its about time that Pakistan & Pakistanis stop being followers and begin to believe in themselves and start leading.

Karachi and its traffic has their own unique issues and need to be dealt in innovative and creative ways pertaining to its particular needs.

Environment MUST be a big concern as respitory diseases have risen to an alarming levels in KHI & all major urban areas of Pakistan due to poorly-enforced or non-existant emission controls on its vehicles and factories.

Building expressways, elevated or not, is going to only aggravate the problems furthur because by the time all these so-called development get completed, population and influx to KHI would atleast be doubled thus making traffic all-time worse or at most in vain.

Much better solutions would be to invest into public transportation which is well-tested proven successful world-wide incl. our neighbour India's success in Kolkatta & Delhi. Also well-planned and considerate improvements on existing roadways and infrastucture would be much-needed relief for its citizens suffering from traffic jams 24/7 now.

Special care must be given while "constructing & building", so as not to interrupt or damage the electrical wiring or water pipeline & sewage/drainage as it occurs quite often when blue prints are incorrect or sometime not even obtained due to red-tape before digging, thus causing nightware to nearby residents.

Smog and pollution must be publicaly addressed and acknowledged by authorities and media to create awareness of the negative impacts of building more expwys without taking into account all the future repercussions and negative consequences.

TO RELIEF TRAFFIC, I VISUALIZE MEETING OF THE BEST OF PAKISTANI & NON-PAKISTANI ENGINEERS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, HOPEFULLY VOLUNTEERS-TYPES OR SPONSORED BY NGOs.

THEY SHOULD BE CONSULTED AND THEIR PLANS MADE PUBLIC BY MEDIA FOR DEBATES (hopefully short & constructive).

FINALLY MAKING A DESIGN FOR KARACHI'S INFRASTRUCTURE THAT WOULD BE PRACTICAL AND FINANCIALLY FEASIBLE.

IT SHOULD BE SUCH THAT IT MAY BE USED BY OTHERS AS A MODEL TO DEAL WITH FAST-GROWING METRO REGIONS OF THIRD WORLD COUNTRIES.

KARACHI'S REMAINING HERITAGE & HISTORICAL BLDGS MUST BE PROTECTED AND SPACES MUST BE ALLOCATED FOR GREENERY, PARKS & EVEN SOME WATER BODIES LIKE LAKES, WATER WAYS (LYARI CANAL ?) OR FOUNTAINS.

THERE IS ALWAYS HOPE.

Techno-Architect

January 6th, 2007, 01:41 AM

I dont no much places in Karachi, if some one could map out the route on a google earth image or smth like that, that will be gr8~!!

Techno-Architect

January 6th, 2007, 01:51 AM

January 6th, 2007, 05:36 AM

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Fahadzkhan/0-2.jpg

It would have been better if the City Govt had released the route they were planning to construct, as I'm not sure if they will construct the elevated highway on the railway lands or use Club road.

The latter seems unlikely as Club road has all the hotels and recreational clubs of Karachi ..

This one is from Jinnah Bridge following the PIDC flyover onto Club road and onto Sharea Faisal till Quaidabad, again not sure where exactly the expressway would end up, either connect the u/c Quaidabad flyover or before that ..

January 8th, 2007, 10:22 AM

Pakia

January 8th, 2007, 08:49 PM

Sad but not surprising. I bet half of the projects are never completed on their deadline, leave alone ahead of schedule, in Pakiland.

Perhaps someone should keep a track of the claims made by these politicians and publicise when their claims fall flat.

Sufi Pistol

January 9th, 2007, 02:09 AM

guys....they talked about FEASIBILITY till JUNE 2006.....It might hve been done...but not publicised yet...might be...

Techno-Architect

January 10th, 2007, 10:36 PM

Fahad thanks fer the post!!
Can u also mark me the route of the Signal free corridor! I need to c it urgently today.

January 11th, 2007, 12:04 AM

Fahad thanks fer the post!!
Can u also mark me the route of the Signal free corridor! I need to c it urgently today.

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Fahadzkhan/00.jpg

I'm not exactly sure about the Underpass's but I believe thats what their names are.

Techno-Architect

January 11th, 2007, 01:28 AM

Thanks alot Again!
Uve named themm all except Lyari Expressway Interchange ;)

January 11th, 2007, 03:08 AM

Hope this helps ;)

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Fahadzkhan/01-1.jpg

mehdi_cs

January 11th, 2007, 06:48 AM

^^ great job!!

January 11th, 2007, 07:45 AM

Thanks!

siamu maharaj

January 11th, 2007, 05:51 PM

There's one more underpass between Liaquatabad underpass and the Lyari Expressway interchange.

January 11th, 2007, 07:28 PM

Which one is it?, the Pink line is the KMTP Corridor I btw.

adzees

January 11th, 2007, 10:21 PM

Which one is it?, the Pink line is the KMTP Corridor I btw.

Ghariba baad Underpass ... U missed that one

musiddiqui

January 12th, 2007, 01:03 PM

By Fasahat Mohiuddin

KARACHI: The ground-breaking ceremony of the 24-km elevated expressway from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad, previously fixed for August last year, is yet to be announced despite several technical meetings held under the chairmanship of City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal.

The cost of the project has gone from US $350 million to $500 million, informed sources told The News exclusively. Sources said it is now expected that the ceremony will take place by February this year.

Sources close to the project said now ‘Annuity’ basis loan will be evaluated and then the concession period will be given to the firm. The completion period of this huge project is three to four years.

It is worth mentioning that earlier, when the agreement took place, newsmen were informed that the elevated expressway was being built on BOT basis by the Malaysian firm, and for one year they will collect the toll tax as per agreement by the City Government.

Replying to a question, sources said the cost of the project increased due to some amendments. He said there was a single lane from Merewether Tower to PIDC, but that technical/designing experts have now made them into two lanes. Some other changes have also been made. The groundbreaking ceremony was to take place in August 2006, but has been postponed for six months.

Informed sources said that, similarly, the construction of the IT tower, which City Nazim had claimed was a huge foreign collaboration investment, hangs in the balance. Nothing is visible in this regard nor has the City Nazim hinted when it would be initiated. IJM Corporation, who has been awarded the contract, said all the designing work is almost complete now it is up to city government officials to notify the places where the piling work could begin. City Government officials are keeping their fingers crossed over this huge project.

Officials of IJM Corporation, at their office at Sharah-e-Faisal, were not available to comment on the project. Sources at the company said they were asked not to talk to the media in this regard by the City Nazim.

Sources told The News exclusively that the ground work, including the piling for the 24 kilometre elevated expressway, is yet to start and all kinds of surveys, including topographical and traffic surveys, have been done.

The Elevated Expressway is the biggest project in Karachi by any foreign firm. Recently, IJM corporation officials, along with City government EDOs gave a presentation to the City Nazim here at a local hotel.

To start this work, instructions were given by the Malaysian experts of IJM Corporation, who came to Karachi and met the Nazim recently. They sorted out technical hurdles the project was facing. This was disclosed to this reporter by an IJM Corporation official in Karachi, who wanted to remain anonymous.

He said as this is a highly technical process, now tenders would be floated for the firms to hold soil testing of the specified area, which is very important in order to determine the load capacity of the soil.

He said after this they would start structural designing and the feasibility of the plan and hoped that by August this year piling would start on different spots of Shahrah-e-Faisal.

Sources said it would be premature at this stage to comment on the project in detail but one thing should be known to the citizens: IJM is one of the biggest construction companies in Malaysia, and is capable of handling this huge project. Priority would be given to hiring local engineers and skilled workers, although some experts would be brought in from Malaysia.

Replying to a question at the office in Karachi, the source said it would be difficult to say as to how many people at the local level would be hired. However, local people would be given preference, he stressed. The project includes the construction of a 24-kilometre long and 25-metre wide expressway having three lanes on each side.

The project, which initially cost US $ 225 million, will be constructed in three years time. Six interchanges will be provided on the expressway, namely: Quaidabad Intersection, Star gate, HIR road, Shara-e-Quaideen, Hotel Metropole and Jinnah Bridge (Native Jetty).

Source: http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=38558

PakiDoperz

January 12th, 2007, 04:40 PM

karachi people need to get rid of musafa and get Namat Ullah Khan jeeback

January 12th, 2007, 07:31 PM

So much for his plans :lol:

The expressway and the IT tower hangs in the balance now

UnitedPakistan

January 12th, 2007, 10:59 PM

Naimatullah was a 100 time better than this scumbag Karachi has now. I was actually very optomistic about his administration of the city and his planning for the future.

Khanrak

January 12th, 2007, 11:05 PM

the plan for the elevated highway looks to cut right through karachi's greener areas and historic areas... maybe its better if this plan doesnt go through.

Red aRRow

January 12th, 2007, 11:33 PM

the plan for the elevated highway looks to cut right through karachi's greener areas and historic areas... maybe its better if this plan doesnt go through.

It is an elevated expressway. Which means that the road will be above ground level on pillars. The pillars will be sunk into the ground and actually take up much less space than actually putting a new road somewhere and hence less environmental impact. This expressway will be over Shahra-e-faisal and thus it's pillars will be sunk into the middle divider of Shahra-e-Faisal. Basically no 'cutting right through karachi's greener areas and historic areas'.

Techno-Architect

January 13th, 2007, 02:27 AM

farazilu

January 13th, 2007, 03:59 AM

great job done
altho i am not a active memeber of this community but i still see it once a week and give me hope about construction in pakistan

siamu maharaj

January 13th, 2007, 06:14 PM

I can't really think of a single historal thing on this route.

January 15th, 2007, 06:45 AM

Fahad that wuz awesome man! Altough i didnt c it dat day but dats really is an amazin work uve done

Can u link on a zoomed out map all the National highways like M-9, Coastal highway, Indus Highway etc on the map too?

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Fahadzkhan/02-1.jpg

Does that road leading upto French beach end up becoming the Coastal Highway?

siamu maharaj

January 15th, 2007, 06:40 PM

Since it's not in the pic, can you also tell me which one's the Southern bypass?

adzees

January 15th, 2007, 08:09 PM

Since it's not in the pic, can you also tell me which one's the Southern bypass?

As far as i know there is no southern By pass

January 15th, 2007, 08:12 PM

There was a planned Southern Bypass but its not even feasable to construct it.

siamu maharaj

January 15th, 2007, 09:42 PM

There was a planned Southern Bypass but its not even feasable to construct it.
Oh! I do know that it doesn't exist at the moment, but I was always under the impression that it had gotten the go-ahead, and was about to me made (or was already being made). In either case, could you please tell me which two highways it links and at what points? Not necessarily on a pic.

January 15th, 2007, 11:39 PM

Well see I'm not too sure about that aswell, but you can figure it out yourself from this picture;

http://i37.photobucket.com/albums/e78/Fahadzkhan/newkarachimap.jpg

Sufi Pistol

January 16th, 2007, 12:45 AM

Clearly its not feasible

January 16th, 2007, 12:59 AM

Its the one right at the bottom, while the top one is the Northern Bypass.

siamu maharaj

January 16th, 2007, 11:13 PM

The lower part of this map is completely wrong!

January 17th, 2007, 03:05 AM

Yes it is, but gives you an idea it will be somewhere near the Ports area so its definately not feasible since you already have a bunch of roads, including the Jinnah Bridge there.

Sufi Pistol

January 17th, 2007, 04:40 AM

However this map is not of roads...this map shows the boundaries of TOWNS which was mapped by some moron earlier in 2001 when the local bodies' system was imposed.

siamu maharaj

January 20th, 2007, 08:22 AM

It will supposedly be inaugurated this month. Just read that in Dawn today. It also says the the length would be 28 kms.

Mercenary

February 5th, 2007, 04:11 PM

You guys should check out the Expressway in Buenos Aires, Argentina on google earth

Looks really cool

Red aRRow

February 9th, 2007, 12:41 AM

http://epaper.dawn.com/Web/Article/2007/02/09/002/09_02_2007_002_001.jpg

oogabooga

February 9th, 2007, 01:02 AM

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5498/09022007002001iv6.jpg

@Red aRRow
There ya go, all sized down to fit your screen and horizontal :tongue3:

Metropole

February 9th, 2007, 02:22 AM

Wow, thanks for posting that Red Arrow and oogabooga.

adzees

February 9th, 2007, 02:44 AM

hahah .. lets pray this dream will get true

oogabooga

February 9th, 2007, 03:01 AM

Wow, thanks for posting that Red Arrow and oogabooga.

Just Red aRRow, I just made it horizontal :colgate:

February 9th, 2007, 07:46 AM

Good lord finally !

paguma larvata

February 9th, 2007, 09:02 AM

KARACHI: No EIA done on mega project:gunz: :gunz:

By Mukhtar Alam

KARACHI, Feb 8: The City District Government Karachi is all set to get the ground broken for a mega project, a 28kms long elevated expressway along Sharea Faisal from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad Intersection, despite the fact an official assessment of the project’s impact under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act is still to be completed.

City government officials said that the 25-metre wide elevated expressway with three lanes on each track will have a toll-tax for 15 to 20 years and serve as a bypass and a link to the airport for the two seaports of Karachi. The project is first of its kind in the country and bringing foreign investors (IJM Corporation Berhad Malaysia) direct to a district government for a $350 million financing, they said.:banana: :banana:

Details about the financial feasibility, engineering design, nature of construction and physical structure are not available. The invitation cards regarding a ground breaking ceremony, to be held at Governor’s House, on February 9, have a computer-generated view. This shows that the expressway will be above ground level on pillars to be sunk into the middle traffic islands on Sharea Faisal.

President Pervez Musharraf is likely to perform the ground breaking of the project and construction is likely to be completed in three to four years.:banana:

The officials at the helm of city government affairs feel after completion of the proposed expressway, the city’s traffic problem will ease considerably and travelling time reduced. However, conservationists are apprehensive about the hurdles in its way, the construction of on and off ramps, pillars and other activities.

Under Pakistan’s environmental rules, Initial Environmental Examination or Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) are mandatory and meant to assess the impact of a project. In developed countries, an EIA is a powerful tool to ensure development projects do not destroy the environment.

Well placed sources told DAWN that the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency had not been able to conduct any public hearing or issue any NOC or set of mitigation measures in case of public inconvenience or guidelines towards a sustainable development so far as the city government or the project financers had not responded to it adequately.

In reply to a letter, SEPA informed the parties concerned that they were required to submit at least ten copies of the EIA report pertaining to the expressway project and also meet some pre-requisites, including payment for relevant advertisement and other arrangements. A provincial environmental department official said that any grant of NOC on the subject was still pending.

nice_dost

February 9th, 2007, 01:59 PM

oogabooga

February 9th, 2007, 03:05 PM

Sharae Faisal is Karachi's heart, its main artery. I am just trying to imagine the agony that people will face during the construction. But hopefully traffic problems will be solved after the elevated expressway is built in 3 to 4 years, seems like ages though

7-8 months time also seemed likes ages when the signal free corridor was/is being built. A little patience goes a loooooooong way people!

adzees

February 9th, 2007, 05:54 PM

Sharae Faisal is Karachi's heart, its main artery. I am just trying to imagine the agony that people will face during the construction. But hopefully traffic problems will be solved after the elevated expressway is built in 3 to 4 years, seems like ages though

I read it somewhere that the company will do the construction in parts by distributing the whole corriddor in 400 meters length.

February 9th, 2007, 06:02 PM

It would be nice if we would know what the toll would be !

swerveut

February 9th, 2007, 09:39 PM

@Red aRRow
There ya go, all sized down to fit your screen and horizontal :tongue3:

:lol:

KARACHI: No EIA done on mega project:gunz: :gunz:

By Mukhtar Alam

KARACHI, Feb 8: The City District Government Karachi is all set to get the ground broken for a mega project, a 28kms long elevated expressway along Sharea Faisal from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad Intersection, despite the fact an official assessment of the project’s impact under Pakistan Environmental Protection Act is still to be completed.

WHY THE HELL IS THE EPA MAKING SO MUCH FUSS OVER A PROJECT IN AN AREA THAT IS ALREADY POLLUTED??? As if Shahrah E Faisal is a lush environment filled with wild animals that need protecting. Those retards couldnt bother to make half as much fuss over the Bundal and Buddoo Islands being develped and now just to get their own ankle in the picture they start making fuss over a perfectly sound project. Makes you wonder what kind of retards work in the EPA :bash: :bash: :bash:

Sharae Faisal is Karachi's heart, its main artery. I am just trying to imagine the agony that people will face during the construction. But hopefully traffic problems will be solved after the elevated expressway is built in 3 to 4 years, seems like ages though

I have a feeling it will mostly be built out of pre-cast parts so it shouldnt create too much of a traffic headache. One point of trouble I do see though is the FTC flyover off-ramp. There seems to be an expressway onramp over there too and it should create a HELL of a traffic bottleneck there.

It would be nice if we would know what the toll would be !

I doubt most Karachiites would use it if it were anything above Rs. 10.

Sufi Pistol

February 9th, 2007, 10:07 PM

Hoowever Impressive rendering....This rendering reveals that CDGK is technologically advanced now.....

Red aRRow

February 9th, 2007, 10:30 PM

[IMG]
@Red aRRow
There ya go, all sized down to fit your screen and horizontal :tongue3:
Sorry for not realizing that not everyone has huge assed LCDs. :nuts: my bad on the horizontal part though.:cheers:

oogabooga

February 9th, 2007, 11:42 PM

Hoowever Impressive rendering....This rendering reveals that CDGK is technologically advanced now.....

How is that impressive? :lol: Looks like a bloody cartoon!

February 10th, 2007, 07:13 AM

I doubt most Karachiites would use it if it were anything above Rs. 10.

Exactly my point, I believe it would be something around Rs. 30 (one way)

oogabooga

February 10th, 2007, 07:17 AM

KARACHI, Feb 9: President General Pervez Musharraf has said that Pakistan is moving forward on the path of progress and prosperity.

He was speaking at the ground breaking ceremony of the Karachi Elevated Expressway held at the Governor’s House here on Friday. The expressway is being built to link National Highway and Jinnah Bridge.

The president described it a great project as the 24-kilometre elevated expressway would help ease traffic congestion and ensure safety during travel.

Pakistan is moving forward in every sphere – economic and development, social sector, health and education -- as well as political sector, and introducing sustainable democracy, empowerment of women and minorities, etc.

He noted that the country was making headway because the economy had been set right which led to the accelerated developmental activity.

Gen Musharraf pointed out that from 1988 to 1999, the development budget of the country was between Rs60 billion and Rs80 billion per annum which had now gone up to Rs415 billion.

“That is why, the government has been able to take up development projects in Sindh, Balochistan, NWFP and other parts of the country.”

The president said that the only threat the country faces was from terrorism, extremism and sectarianism and if we did not correct this situation, we would not be able to sustain the economic growth.

He said that Pakistan had a standing in the comity of nations, in the Islamic Ummah and in the world. “People seek our views and our support,” he added.

Gen Musharraf said: “Our standing in the comity of nations will not be there in case we do not eradicate intolerance, extremism and sectarianism from our society. The strategy which we are pursuing will enable us to tackle the problem of terrorism.”

Economic prosperity is gauged by the things such as the availability of energy, and Pakistan is suffering from electricity and gas shortage. This is a sign of development and we will take steps to meet this challenge. The other sign of development is traffic congestion. In Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad, roads are so broad but even in Islamabad, the traffic is chocked today and, therefore, flyovers, overhead bridges and underpasses are being constructed.

Gen Musharraf pointed out that some five years back, the production of cars in the country was about 35,000 while the figure had now gone up to 250,000. The production of motorcycles which was 85,000 at that time had also crossed the 800,000 mark, he added.

He said that this was the boom in the purchasing power of people who are buying more cars and motorcycles which, he pointed out, was also a sign of development.

The President said the projects under the Karachi Development Plan were started some four or five years back in which the corporations of this city contributed while the federal, provincial and district governments also participated.

He also lauded the role of Sindh governor and chief minister for supporting all these projects. He also appreciated the energetic Nazim of Karachi Syed Mustafa Kamal.

In the context of the massive development, the president made mention of the mega projects like Northern Bypass, Lyari Expressway and the 100-MGD water supply project, as well as the construction of Quaid’s mausoleum park, Bagh Ibne Qasim, Askari Park at Old Sabzi Mandi and the beautification along the beach.

He said the short- and mid-term steps were being taken by Karachi Electric Supply Corporation to improve electricity supply in the metropolis.

The president said that that the Federal Minister for Ports and Shipping Babar Khan Ghauri was also doing a lot for the development of Karachi, and added that a bridge was being constructed up to Manora (Island). A number of projects were coming up for Karachi, he said.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim and Managing Director of the IJM Corporation Dato Krishnan Tan Boon Seng also spoke on the occasion.—APP

Dawn Online Edition February 10, 2007 (http://www.dawn.com/2007/02/10/local2.htm)

oogabooga

February 10th, 2007, 08:45 AM

Unfortunately still no mention of this project on IJM Berhad's Website (http://www.ijm.com/)! Even though, according to Dailytimes (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\02\10\story_10-2-2007_pg12_2), IJM Corporation CEO/MD Dato Krishnan Tan Boon Seng was present at the inaugural ceremony. :ohno:

himali

February 10th, 2007, 04:10 PM

http://img108.imageshack.us/img108/5498/09022007002001iv6.jpg

omg!!!

oogabooga

February 10th, 2007, 05:01 PM

omg!!!

What? You didnt see this before?

siamu maharaj

February 10th, 2007, 09:29 PM

1. Does anyone know what the height of this is going to be? Has it been mentioned anywhere?

2. Would the height be the same, or would it be pretty low and would rise when crossing a flyover?

3. What exactly are those platform-like things?

I guess 1 & 2 haven't been answered, but just in case they have been and I missed.

February 12th, 2007, 03:25 AM

I believe we all have those questions to ask.

Lets just hope the mayor clarifies it.

BTW look how the bridge ends up connecting the Jinnah Bridge!

Desi style, just copy paste the bridge :lol:

siamu maharaj

February 12th, 2007, 10:00 AM

I guess the details would come out once it starts getting built.

I must say, it'd look really sexy from Google Earth in 2012. Sharah-e-Faisal would be one sexy bitch by that time. This + already built interchanges/flyovers + many more coming up (the whole Sharah-e-Faisal would eventually be signals/turnings-free, if I'm not wrong).

February 12th, 2007, 09:17 PM

Yeah thats true, it would look really cool even right now if Google Earth updates it, since we have the FTC, Quaideen and Karsaaz Flyovers now.

swerveut

February 14th, 2007, 06:23 PM

What about the trees in the central median of SF? I hope they transplant them along the sides instead of just murdering all of them. Some of them have becoem pretty tall by now and it would be a loss for Karachi's environment if they were all just chopped up ruthlessly.

On another note, I am still wondering how they will negotiate the area from Metropole to PIDC.... the expressway DOES have to go all the way to Jinnah Bridge so I guess it would have to pass by this area and on top of M. T. Khan road as well.

siamu maharaj

February 14th, 2007, 07:37 PM

What is your concern? Is it too narrow, or there's no place for the foundations, or both?

TahaQ

February 15th, 2007, 09:07 AM

Is this expressway going to cover the ENTIRE length of Shahr-e-Faisal or just 28Km out of a greater total? I'm just asking because I dont know how long Shahr-e-Faisal itself is.

Lime Light

February 15th, 2007, 09:59 AM

Greetings,

Yes i have the same question. I have not seen the places since ages so i wish to know that how many commercial or residential buildings are there. Will they hide under or beside it?

February 15th, 2007, 08:07 PM

The Expressway will not pass over any buildings, it is impossible for that to happen.

The Expressway will most probably start from M.T.Khan Road, and then make its way to Sharea Faisal and continue before ending at Quaidabad.

Lime Light

February 16th, 2007, 08:10 AM

Greetings,

Yes dear you are right, it will not pass over any building but may pass by and so will hide most of them. Here in Lahore most of the passes within city have cealed the view of houses, hotels and commerial buildings behind their huge structure. May be if we get pictures of that road the idea will get more clarity.

Regards

khanbhai1

February 16th, 2007, 08:11 AM

how can you post pictures from google earth

Mercenary

February 16th, 2007, 09:23 AM

^^ There is a feature build in google earth which lets u capture screen

If you cant find it, look on your keyboard there is a button called PrintScn

Press that and go to Paint and press CTRL+V and then save the file and then upload it here and vola

swerveut

February 17th, 2007, 10:55 PM

What is your concern? Is it too narrow, or there's no place for the foundations, or both?

Well the space besides Metropole and Sindh Club is in NO WAY wide enough to allow a six lane expwy (three lane on each side like advertised). Or even a four lane one. Also further on, the route might pass between Sheraton and Pearl Continental Hotels and between PIDC and the abandoned Hyatt Regency building. Again, that area isnt very wide. I dont know how it will negotiate that part of the route.

Metropole is in the process of being torn down (extremely slowly) so that should solve one problem, but the other problems still remain.

Greetings,

Yes i have the same question. I have not seen the places since ages so i wish to know that how many commercial or residential buildings are there. Will they hide under or beside it?

Throughout the length of SF it will just be another level above SF I believe so it wont be going over any buildings that are located on the sides.

khanbhai1

February 17th, 2007, 11:02 PM

siamu maharaj

February 18th, 2007, 09:27 AM

paguma larvata

February 18th, 2007, 03:48 PM

Work on project from next month:banana: :banana:
By Fasahat Mohiuddin

KARACHI: Following the ground-breaking ceremony of the 24-kilometre long Karachi Elevated Expressway (KEE), IJM Corporation will start its groundwork by next month, presumably opposite the Finance Trade Centre (FTC) on Sharea Faisal.

Informed sources told The News that paperwork between the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) and IJM Corporation is in process, after which the CDGK will hand the location over to IJM so that they can start the work, and for the time being, on an area of at least three kilometers. Once the desired place is provided by the CDGK the IJM will begin moving its machinery and mobilising its team.

The work will only start after a complete clearance has been given by the CDGK and other agencies involved in the land around Shahra-e-Faisal. IJM sources have also requested the city government to provide a small part of land so that they can set up their subsidiary offices as early as possible.

At present the IJM has its main office on Shahra-e-Faisal and three other offices are to be set up at Karsaz, Malir and around or adjacent FTC. Sources said at present IJM is in the second phase of the project with the city government. According to City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal it is one of the hugest foreign investment projects that have ever come in Karachi. While talking to The News on Wednesday, Kamal had said that the government will facilitate the IJM Corporation to the maximum as it is the policy of CDGK to provide all possible facilities to investors in the city.

All of the project’s design work is complete now and only a green signal by CDGK will make the groundwork a reality. The $225-million project is to be 25-metre-wide expressway having three lanes on each side and to be constructed in three years. Six interchanges will be provided on the elevated expressway at Quaidabad Intersection, Star Gate, HIR Road, Shahra-e-Quaideen, Hotel Metropole and Jinnah Bridge (Native Jetty).

It is expected that the KEE will cause no traffic jam in Karachi and routine traffic of the city will not be affected due to its construction as it is slated to have a safe, convenient and cost-effective environment.

http://thenews.jang.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=43410

Sufi Pistol

February 18th, 2007, 04:46 PM

Mubaaarkaaaaaan......

February 18th, 2007, 06:07 PM

"The KEE"

:lol:

Our journalists come up with the funniest names, why not just call it the elevated expressway?

vazim

February 18th, 2007, 06:41 PM

"The KEE"

:lol:

Our journalists come up with the funniest names, why not just call it the elevated expressway?

:lol: or may be otherway round. EEK :banana: :lol:

however, if you say KEE 10 times or so, u'll like it eventually. congrats to Karachities.

swerveut

February 18th, 2007, 07:00 PM

Swerve: I personally believe that in that narrow region the flyover would have two levels, one going each way. This would be the area between Avari and the point after that bridge near PIDC. This is a better solution that narrowing the flyover down to 1.5 lanes.

That might be a good solution.

:lol: or may be otherway round. EEK :banana: :lol:

however, if you say KEE 10 times or so, u'll like it eventually. congrats to Karachities.

:lol: EEK wins my vote. I can see it becoming an everyday term - "yeah just go EEK :banana: and get off here to get to my house"

I guess with Karachi's brash drivers some people might actually end up going EEK! on EEK too.

February 18th, 2007, 07:04 PM

Or maybe itll end up being called the "Chabi Expressway"

"Chabi?"

"Abay haan just take that key expressway and youll go straight to airport"

Metropole

February 20th, 2007, 04:31 AM

I'm usually very gung ho about every project but I have to admit that I'm kind of uncertain about the elevated expressway being built over Shahra-e-Faisal.

In many cities in the world elevated expressways are considered to be a blight (bad) specially once they start getting old and ugly. Shahra-e-Faisal is Karachi's number one drag and it may get ruined.

However, I fully support the idea of the expressway. But I think that they should build it over the railway tracks that start at the expressway's starting point and run parallel to Shahra-e-Faisal all the way to the National Highway. The space available along the tracks is mostly as wide as Shahra-e-Faisal. And even more important, following the track will avoid ruining the Karachi Gymkhana area.

I'm happy at the pace of development in Karachi, but I'm afraid that they're cutting corners in terms of quality and good design.

http://farm1.static.flickr.com/185/396077653_07bd57f258_b.jpg

Mercenary

February 20th, 2007, 05:40 AM

does that yellow line show where the expressway will be built?

Metropole

February 20th, 2007, 05:56 AM

The yellow line is the railway track. On the right half of the picture you can see Shahra-e-Faisal running parallel just north of the railway line. At present it is not clear what the alignment of the expressway is going through the Club Road area on the left half of the picture.

khanbhai1

February 20th, 2007, 06:56 AM

Karachiite
thax for the picture but is this correct

siamu maharaj

February 20th, 2007, 08:16 AM

Well, if it's built beautifully, then it won't look ugly. Secondly, there are a few problems with your suggestions. The obvious one: it's PR's land. Secondly, if built there, it'd be useless. Right now, it not only kind of serves as a bypass (bypassing the traffic, although the road length is the same), but also allows traffic to get on and off between it. With your proposal, it'd only be a bypass.

Again, I agree with the ugly part, but then it's the duty of the government to ensure that it isn't. The problem with Karachi is that the roads are just too narrow and they start constructing right next to the goddamn road. This is completely asinine. Due to this, it hardly leaves any place for widening the roads and making big interchanges (unlike poor excuses at Sohrab Goth). So such elevated highways are the only solution to traffic congestions. Kind of a necessary evil.

February 20th, 2007, 08:29 AM

There are a few issues that would arise if the expressway is built on Pakistan Railway lands;

Firstly there would be a a huge tussle between the Pakistan Railways and the City Govt.,

Secondly if they do build it on those lands, the expressway would pass behind houses and businesses located on Sharea Faisal, due to which they would object as they would have traffic and noise in the front from Sharea Faisal and then on the back courtesy of the expressway.

Thirdly regarding interchanges, it would be extremely hard to cut out interchanges due to how that whole PR land area is populated, and last but not least, I'm sure the PR would have problems in the future in rail expansion if they think about expanding the tracks.

swerveut

February 20th, 2007, 07:27 PM

All speculations aside, since the design has already been completed and construction is due to start by next month (hopefully), I am sure they have figured out some sort of solution to the metropole area dilemma. It would just be nice if they delineate the expressway's future route with some sort of markers in the city... even if they are in the form of advertisements.

TahaQ

February 21st, 2007, 04:17 AM

19 reasons why Shahra-e-Faisal shouldn’t be destroyed by an elevated expressway: IAP

Staff Report

KARACHI: The Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP) has listed 19 reasons and concerns about the proposed Elevated Expressway (EE) that the CDGK plans to build over the M.T. Khan Road / Shahrah-e-Faisal corridor, according to a press release Tuesday. On Feb 24, the CDGK is holding a briefing on the project at the AKU at 10:30 a.m., the IAP’s Amina Nasim Jan told Daily Times.

According to the press release, the architects and planners are not against development; in fact their business thrives with the development in the country but Shahrah-e-Faisal which has been there since before Partition was never designed to support an elevated expressway.

The project proposes to construct a 24km long, 4 lane expressway which will stretch from Jinnah Bridge at Keamari to Quaidabad in Malir. Vehicles will be required to pay a toll. There will be six entry and exit points; Quaidabad, Star Gate, Karsaz, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, Hotel Metropole, and Jinnah Bridge. The EE will be high enough to clear the existing overpasses and will have toll plazas at intermediate levels at the six entry/ exit nodes. There have been very limited public hearings on this project.

Several prominent members of the architectural and engineering communities have expressed their reservations but their concerns have been brushed aside in the rush to initiate this project in the name of development and foreign investment.

The IAP believes that there are several reasons why this project is conceptually flawed and unfeasible: The EE is being developed to ease the current and projected load on Shahrah-e-Faisal. The project does not take into account the alternative route and the relief that will be provided by the Lyari Expressway nor does it consider any different corridors to divert traffic off of Shahrah-e-Faisal.

The EE is proposed to be a high-speed link for freight and passenger traffic between the airport, Karachi Harbour and the Port Qasim. Realistically, there is very limited traffic between the airport and the two ports. Instead there is much greater freight traffic between the ports and the rest of the country, adequately serviced by the Northern Bypass.

It is also not correct to refer to the EE as the Southern Bypass as has been suggested because it bypasses nothing and ploughs through the densest and most valuable real estate in Karachi. The EE also does not service any of the industrial estates of Karachi. There is no direct access to the EE from Korangi, SITE and North Karachi except through residential neighbourhoods. These areas are much better served by the Northern Bypass and the National Highway.

The project proposes to place a limited access high-speed expressway over the alignment of Shahrah-e-Faisal and M.T. Khan Road. This would mean that the expressway would have the same constraints and limitations as Shahrah-e-Faisal and M.T. Khan Road and will hardly allow expressway speeds. For example, the expressway will travel over the Bridge at PIDC, squeeze between Hotel Pearl Continental and Hotel Sheraton; curve around Hotel Metropole and past Hotel Avari.

By adding the EE, the volume of traffic that can be handled by the Shahrah-e-Faisal corridor may be doubled but the roads leading into Shahrah-e-Faisal and away from it will remain the same. This will create major congestion on roads feeding Shahrah-e-Faisal. An EE is an expensive and inefficient response to the city’s traffic problems. When the volume exceeds the capacity of the EE, it will not be possible to widen it. Therefore, this project will have much shorter productive life span than an on-grade highway.

The EE is being proposed as a 4 lane highway with two lanes traveling in either direction (The 6-lanes claimed in CDGK publications includes entry and exit lanes). There is no provision for a shoulder or emergency lane. A breakdown or accident on the expressway will result in traffic jams of monumental proportions, with no escape for vehicles and no access for fire tenders or ambulances except from the six exit points.

The placement of the six entry and exit points is not rationally based on the requirements of the city’s traffic but rather on the limited space available for entry and exit ramps and toll plazas. For example, there is no entry or exit at Jinnah Airport. Airport traffic will exit the EE at Star Gate intersection and merge with Shahrah-e-Faisal traffic till the JIA intersection. There is no interchange at either Rashid Minhas Road or FTC. Residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal and DHA would have to exit earlier and merge with Shahrah-e-Faisal traffic.

The proposed Master Plan 2020 calls for the development of multiple nuclei, i.e. additional business districts at different locations throughout the city to reduce commuting time and pressure on our roads and other resources. The goal of this proposal is to decrease the dependence on Saddar. This is a commendable proposal in the Master Plan. The EE tends to contradict this goal of the Master Plan as it seeks to concentrate more traffic into Saddar. If this money were applied instead to develop a Central Business District in Port Qasim it would open up jobs there and reduce traffic to Saddar.

Lastly, the increase in the number of cars on the roads in Karachi is not a valid justification for the construction of new highways. The city should not be fascinated by the notion of having an elevated expressway as if such a thing is an achievement that heralds Karachi’s elevation to a ‘mega city’. Elevated expressways are usually the failure of urban planning because they indicate that a city has failed to manage its traffic problems through less dense, less expensive, on-grade solutions.

The construction of the EE will ruin one of the most attractive boulevards in Karachi. Trees along Shahrah-e-Faisal will be lost. It will effectively place a roof over the existing roadway, cutting off sunlight and breezes. Anyone wanting to imagine the ambience of the resulting roadway need only stand under the NIPA flyover or the Liaquatabad Flyover and imagine it extending for 24km.

The increased traffic load on the Shahrah-e-Faisal corridor and the construction of the EE will greatly increase the levels of emissions. The expressway perched above Shahrah-e-Faisal will trap pollution and prevent it from dispersing.

The EE passes through the heart of Karachi’s thriving commercial, business and tourist districts. Much of its length is over Shahrah-e-Faisal which was recently designated as a corridor for high rise commercial development. After its completion, traffic on the EE will whiz past the third and fourth floor of these buildings. The high walls of these building will create a canyon-like effect which will trap pollution and amplify noise. The EE will obscure the facades of every building that it will cross, greatly hinder people’s access and will depreciate real estate values.

The price tag for the EE has grown from the initial US$225 million through $250 million to $350 million (Rs 21b). Figures much higher than these have been quoted by independent sources. The feasibility of this project depends on the recovery of the cost through tolls.

The EE project is expected to cost $350 million or Rs 21 billion. The developer is expected to recover their investment by collecting tolls from all vehicles over the first 20 years of its life. This means that the operator will need to collect Rs 1,050,000,000 per year or more than Rs 2,876,000 per day. If the average toll per vehicle per trip is set at Rs 20 that would amount to 143,835 cars per day using the expressway. Divided between the six entry/exit points, that amounts to almost 24,000 cars per exit per day or one car every 3.6 seconds. It would seem unlikely that the CDGK’s financial claims about this project will be realized. In which case the foreign developer of the project will claim the CDGK’s sovereign guarantee.

The construction of the EE will cause severe hardship to the residents of Karachi particularly to the businesses located on Shahrah-e-Faisal. The construction time of 30 months appears to be too optimistic considering the usual pace of construction in Pakistan (foreign developer notwithstanding). The CDGK has not shared any plans with the citizens of Karachi on how it plans to achieve these diversion plans during the construction period and which adjacent neighbourhoods will be affected.

Shahrah-e-Faisal is the main access route to the airport and is heavily used for the movement of VVIP’s. How will this access be maintained during construction? What diversionary routes will be used for VVIP traffic at added security risks? There have been no public hearing held to discuss this with residents and businesses along the Shahrah-e-Faisal / M.T. Khan Road corridor.

The EE is not the only solution to the traffic problems of Shahrah-e-Faisal. After its completion, The Lyari Expressway will handle a large volume of traffic currently accessing Shahrah-e-Faisal from the north. The IAP proposes two alternatives: develop an on-grade highway along the Malir River bed and; develop the under-construction road through the Korangi Industrial Area into an expressway. Both proposals can be connected laterally across the Malir River to Shahrah-e-Faisal which will provide a natural detour during VVIP movement. This will allow citizens living south of Shahrah-e-Faisal to use this expressway instead. Both proposals can be connected to Karachi Harbour through limited access corridors through DHA.

mehdi_cs

February 21st, 2007, 05:16 AM

^^ overall, the points made seem quite logical.

adzees

February 21st, 2007, 06:40 AM

The EE project is expected to cost $350 million or Rs 21 billion. The developer is expected to recover their investment by collecting tolls from all vehicles over the first 20 years of its life. This means that the operator will need to collect Rs 1,050,000,000 per year or more than Rs 2,876,000 per day. If the average toll per vehicle per trip is set at Rs 20 that would amount to 143,835 cars per day using the expressway. Divided between the six entry/exit points, that amounts to almost 24,000 cars per exit per day or one car every 3.6 seconds. It would seem unlikely that the CDGK’s financial claims about this project will be realized. In which case the foreign developer of the project will claim the CDGK’s sovereign guarantee.

Yeah IJM is running by a bunch of stupid ppl// like they havent done any feasibilty study before proposing such project. And ppl will even pay Rs 25 rather than burning fuel of cost Rs. 100 every day, and on top of that in order to save time and hassle of stuck in traffic karachites will pay even 30 bucks.. The fuel that burned out for no reason will actually use for the purpose it is in the tanks of vehicles, and it will automatically decrement the demand resulting in positive impact on Pakistan economy. The pollution will get lower, becasue of less traffic jams. So IAP has to look in to this too, and where were they for last one year when CDGK announced abt the project. Our city departments are such a loosers.

siamu maharaj

February 21st, 2007, 11:05 AM

Ok, some good and some bad points. But firstly, I need to tell these guys something they might be forgetting - SF _cannot_ be widened. It's ALREADY at its capacity. Because these morons who are complaining now never got their panties in a knot for the last several decades, there are building right next to this road. To allow for more traffic, you _need_ to have a second level. I'd love to hear of another way of adding 50% more capacity to this road. Funny that these guys mention that EEs are a sign of bad urban planning. Where the hell were these guys when that planning was going on? Someone probably didn't ask these guys advice on this, and they are just pissed.

And Northern bypass and Lyari bypass as alternative routes? Are these guys on crack? Someone needs to show them the map of Karachi and the two parts of the city that they join. And then this gripe over the bending of MT Khan Road. Roads bend, happens all over the world, get over it. Another point was debeautification. On paper it seems very plausible until you realize how totally dumb it is. Firstly, SF isn't all that beautiful. It's nice, but that's it. Secondly, while the EE will ruin the road, there'll be a similar, and even BETTER view on the EE. And that EE will have all the sunshine. Someone needs to buy these guys a brain.

As for noise amplification: someone please kill these jokers before they reproduce. I'd really like to read the law of physics which states that noise doesn't amplify on SF, it only does when driving on an EE. Cars on SF would actually drive CLOSER to the buldings. The mere distance would make up for the greater speed on the EE. Secondly, there are FEWER building that reach the 4-story height, so there'd be LESS buildings at that height for the sound to bounce back off of than at road level. Also, an increase in the number of cars is not a valid justification for building highways! Wow! What do they make highway for, then?

As for inconvenience: these douchebags need to be told that it's a thing common to every project in every city of the world. Yeah, it's inconvenient, so what's the point?

The good points:

No shoulders! That alone is reason enough to bash this project.
No entry/exit points at key intersections! Again, reason enough to bash this project.
Will "debeautify" SF. Contrary to what I said above, I personally also believe this. I, however, don't agree with their solutions. Unless someone can come up with a good one, this is the only one. And I think it's too late now, anyway.

Metropole

February 21st, 2007, 11:46 AM

Go Umais go...tell them like it is...:banana:

February 21st, 2007, 06:39 PM

The only thing I'm worried about is that its only 4 lanes (2 on each side), and secondly the fact that it would be a toll expressway.

People in Pakistan, especially Karachi dont pay Rs. 20 for parking, I wonder how and why would they spend Rs. 20 for a one-way trip on the expressway.

Thirdly, regarding businesses being affected on Sharea Faisal, you know to be honest I think its good, the City Planners have done nothing but create issues and Sharea Faisal is congested already I cant even imagine what would happen if more high-rises come up there.

(Rs. 20 being taken as an example toll)

siamu maharaj

February 21st, 2007, 08:39 PM

Yea, I am also surprised about 4 lanes. That'd really beat the point. I hope that's wrong, coz 2 lanes is just too narrow. Let's do the math:

The width is 25 meters. Leave 5 meters for the center + the sides. That leaves us with 10 meters each way. That's good enough for 3 lanes (I measured SF at Nursery thru Google Earth, the 3 lanes are 10 m. wide).

Now let's see what the official word is.

People actually do pay Rs. 20 for parking. (I know you used 20 arbitrarily). Now whether people would pay some amount (my guess is 35 for the whole length in 3 years time [inflation and all]) depends on how useful it is. Now, I think the plan to make the whole of Sh-e-Faisal signal-free is still on cards. I think if anyone is going to travel more than 7 kms., especially if that portion includes one of the ends of SF, he/she will use it. I, for one, definitely would.

As for biz on SF, it won't be affected, that's bullcrap. Secondly, it's the only road left in Karachi that still allows for expansion, so I disagree with you. Not a lot of expansion, but a little. I've always been for creating a from-the-scratch business district in Karachi. Slightly off-topic, but I am enraged that they are building offices everywhere in Defense/Clifton. Those areas are shit. Such utter lack of planning. Unbelievable.

Anyway, what I'm most concerned about is lack of interchanges on the EE on key roads. That could actually make or break it.

February 21st, 2007, 09:12 PM

I would support Sharea Faisal as a business strip only if they stop making Schools and Kindergartens on it aswell.

I hope you know which area I'm talking about.

siamu maharaj

February 22nd, 2007, 09:14 AM

Oh, I agree. Actually, schools shouldn't be at any busy road (PAF Chapter, anyone?). Poor planning for the win!

February 22nd, 2007, 05:53 PM

My Two year old nephew goes to this kindergarten thats located on main Sharea Faisal :lol:

I used to park on Sharea Faisal and drop him off, the inside roads are always jam-packed, which is why I cant imagine what would happen if more buildings come up ..

moazzam

February 22nd, 2007, 07:23 PM

moved_on

February 22nd, 2007, 08:29 PM

Comon guys, enough bit**g, Toronto's Gardiner Expressway and KualLumpur's main expressway have not affected business at all, actuly condos around Gardiner Expressway are the most expensive real estate in Canada.

February 22nd, 2007, 09:21 PM

But the reality is that people do want the Gardiner to be demolished just because of the fact that its elevated and looks horrible from Lakeshore Blvd.

But then again it serves the purpose it was built for, I do hope "KEE" (:lol:) gets the same positive response.

adzees

February 22nd, 2007, 11:04 PM

mehdi_cs

February 23rd, 2007, 10:11 AM

the road is always jam packed because there is no proper parking...
shifting of school and construction of new building will definately solve the problem...because multistory buildings have underground parking...

there is an underconstruction building on Shahra-e-Faisal neighbouring the Standard Chartered Building that has 6 storey parking. addition of such building, i believe, wont make parking problems.

BTW: we can take a look and do some photography of all underconstruction buildings(6, that i can see) on Shahra-e-Faisal in our next meeting... please reply to the thread in GupShup about the meeting.

adil

February 25th, 2007, 10:45 PM

Its look horrible becasue its too old now .. :)

Agreed, Gardiner looks horrible, but can u imagine what a nightmare downtown Toronto would be w/o it? People want it demolished but nobody has proposed an appropriate alternative. Thus, its here to stay.
Some sort of expressway is required in Karachi, and an elevated one seems to be a good option.
Other option may be something along the lines of the Big Dig in Boston. However, that would probably cost a fortune, which makes it unfeasable.

February 26th, 2007, 12:19 AM

^ True, if they tear it down then it would be a traffic chaos, although I guess its only because its elevated, if it would have been a ground highway then I'm sure nobody would have a problem with it.

adil

March 28th, 2007, 06:29 AM

I think we should start a petition to have this expressway named the "Robert Woolmer Expressway".
Something to remember a decent man.
What do u guys think?

Sikandar

March 28th, 2007, 07:21 AM

I think that's a bit too much.. I mean if he retired we definitely wouldn't name an expressway after him.. they should instead build a proper academy that teaches Pakistani batsmen how to play on grassy pitches and call it the Robert Woolmer Academy.. or name a small road near Gaddafi Stadium after him.

March 28th, 2007, 07:41 AM

Robert Woolmer Expressway :?

Lets see the expressway get built first!

Intoxication

March 28th, 2007, 09:10 AM

I swear he's called Bob Woolmer and not Robert Woolmer.

vazim

March 28th, 2007, 12:00 PM

^^ his actual name was Robert Andrew Woolmer but was renowned & called "Bob"

siamu maharaj

March 28th, 2007, 12:05 PM

I swear he's called Bob Woolmer and not Robert Woolmer.
? ? ?

siamu maharaj

March 28th, 2007, 12:06 PM

Bob's short for Robert, like Bill's for William, Dick's for Richard, etc.

swerveut

March 28th, 2007, 08:46 PM

Wayyyyy

Back to topic guys. Answering the IAP or whatever institute it was, I think they need to take a field trip to chicago. Nearly every single road in downtown there has two stories. Shahrah-e-Faisal is already chock full of traffic. Only solution now is to go up. As far as alternatives to car transport go, that is another issue altogether and it yet remains to be seen whether Pakistanis will ever see rail-based mass transit in our cities.

Design of the EEK is cause for concern, I hope they modify it give a few more entry and exit points.

April 2nd, 2007, 07:15 AM

No updates!

musiddiqui

April 3rd, 2007, 01:40 AM

By Jamil Khan, Urooj Zia and Uroos Ahmed

KARACHI: The proposed Karachi Elevated Expressway (KEE) will need to acquire a 17-metre wide section on Club Road for which it will need land from the five-star hotels located there, Daily Times has learnt. Also, 11,000 trees will have to be chopped down to make way for the expressway.

A public hearing for the KEE is scheduled to take place today at 10:00 a.m. at the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) office. The CDGK’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) report on the project lists the land that will be needed. It will have to come from the Pearl Continental Hotel (PC), the Karachi Gymkhana, and the (defunct) Metropole Hotel bottleneck in the northern section and Qasr-e-Naz and the State Guest House in the south in addition to Regent Plaza, Sea Breeze Plaza, Navy residential area and the Aisha Bawany School. A small strip of land will need to be acquired from the FTC near the HIR Interchange along the CSD Shop to the bridge over the nalla from the Karsaz area and the Central Store Depot near the Drigh Road Station.

“We’re certainly not giving up any land,” said Regent Plaza administration and HR head, Abdul Sattar. “The matter has been referred to the Pakistan Hotels Association (PHA).”

PC Hotel has also referred the matter to the PHA. “We always welcome projects undertaken by the government for the betterment of the city,” PC marketing and public relations manager, Asif Iqbal, told Daily Times. “We haven’t been approached yet about land acquisition. The matter has, however, been referred to the PHA - the authority that manages the rights of hotels, so it will be liasing with the city government.”

According to the FTC management, the land there belongs to the federal government, and the project is managed by a private firm - the FTC Management Company (Pvt) Ltd (FMCL). The stakeholders include the CSD, [a secret agency], the Trading Corporation of Pakistan, the HBFC, the TDAP, the Pak-Kuwait Investment Corporation, the Pakistan-Libya Holding Company, the Pakistan Automobile Corporation, etc, explained FMCL DBM and Administrator Auditorium, Niaz Ali Mahar. “The [FTC] project belongs to the Federal Government, not the provincial government or the CDGK. We haven’t been officially informed about any land acquisition. If they [the CDGK] need the land outside the FTC boundary wall, they can have it. If they ask for land within the boundary wall, however, our management committee will sit down over it and decide what has to be done.” To say anything right now would be too premature, Mahar implied.

According to the property laws of Pakistan, however, all land belongs to the State, and is leased out for 99 years. “If the CDGK does not already have an interim power to acquire private land, then that can be accomplished by passing legislation via Parliament,” said Irshad Abdul Qadir, a teacher of land law. “This lease can be renewed at the end of the 99-year period, or with a year left in the running. In Pakistan, there is a Sindh Motorway Act which enables the government to negotiate with parties who have the title to the land. The government can then offer to buy the land at the market price, or compensate by providing an alternate location.”

Legal advisor Afzal Khan said that it did not matter what the hotel association wanted. “If they think this is unfair, they can contest it in a court of law. The law of the land, however, says that all land belongs to the state and the state can take over the land with appropriate compensation,” he said. “The right to build for the benefit of the public only is classified under the same category so even if there is a suit filed there are minimum chances of the hotel association getting an order in its favour.”

The KEE project proposed to construct a 24-kilometer long, four-lane expressway which will stretch from Jinnah Bridge (Native Jetty) at Keamari to Quaidabad. There will be six entry and exit points; Quaidabad, Stare Gate, Karsaz, Shahrah-e-Quaideen, Hotel Metropole, and Jinnah Bridge as vehicles using this expressway will be required to pay a toll.

Architects and urban planners have already expressed their reservations for the project. “Shahrah-e-Faisal, which served the city before Partition is not designed for this purpose,” said architect Arif Belgaumi.

The Institute of Architects of Pakistan’s Ejaz Ahed pointed out that the city government’s report does not mention who conducted the EIA survey. “The government said that the KEE will be used as a highway but within its own EIA report it mentioned that at some specific points (Hotel Metropole, Club Road, PIDC Bridge) the speed will be reduced between 50 to 80 km which is not the standard for a highway,” he said.

Ahed said that if the city government claimed this was a strategic road to connect two major ports and the airport, then there should be an alternative as freight traffic should not be pass through the heart of the city. This should happen on the Northern Bypass. Realistically, there is very limited traffic between the airport and the two ports.

The IAP experts added that the KEE also does not serve any of the industrial estates - There is no direct access to the KEE from Korangi, SITE and North Karachi except through residential neighbourhoods.

The proposed six entry and exit points will merge on Shahrah-e-Faisal which will worsen the traffic situation. “There is no entry or exit at Jinnah Airport as airport traffic will exit at Star Gate intersection and merge with Shahrah-e-Faisal traffic till the airport intersection. Similarly, there is no interchange at either Rashid Minhas Road or the Finance Trade Center (Christian Cemetery). Residents of Gulshan-e-Iqbal and DHA would have to exit earlier and merge with Shahrah-e-Faisal traffic. The design is compromised by the physical limitations of the Shahrah-e-Faisal corridor and it will serve to make a bad situation much worse,” they added.

Every town’s center should be developed as a business district so there will be no need to visit Saddar area for anything. “Earlier the city center was Saddar but now Hassan Square has become the center of city as the city spread over 3,600 square kilometers,” one of the urban planners suggested.

The KEE will effectively place a roof over the existing roadway, substantially cutting off sunlight and air. The increased traffic load on the Shahrah-e-Faisal corridor and the construction of the KEE will greatly increase pollution which will be trapped by the tall buildings.

The KEE will obscure the facades of every building that it will cross and depreciate real estate values.

Furthermore, there are also doubts on KEE’s financial status. The price tag has grown from the initial $225 million to $350 million (Rs 21 billion). The developer is expected to recover its investment by collecting tolls from all vehicles over the first 20 years of its life. This means that the KEE operator will need to collect Rs 1.05 billion per year or more than Rs 2.876 million per day. If the average toll per vehicle per trip is set at Rs 20 that would amount to 143,835 cars per day using the KEE. Divided between the six entry/exit points, that amounts to almost 24,000 cars per exit per day or one car every 3.6 seconds. It would seem unlikely that the CDGK’s financial claims about this project will be realized, they added.

The IAP experts suggested an on-grade highway along the Malir River bed and the development of the under-construction road through the Korangi Industrial Area into an expressway.

“I suggest that the Jinnah Bridge, Mai Kolachi, Khayaban-e-Saadi, Sunset Boulevard, Korangi Road corridor to Quaidabad should be developed as an alternative,” said urban planner and architect Arif Hassan. “The congestion along this corridor can be overcome easily by elevating the expressway between Submarine Chowrangi and South Circular Avenue and building flyovers wherever necessary to make the corridor signal-free.”

Source: Daily Times (http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\03\story_3-4-2007_pg12_10)

April 3rd, 2007, 06:22 AM

11,000 trees :eek:

siamu maharaj

April 3rd, 2007, 09:10 AM

Something tells me this has been ill-planned. I'm kind of against it now. Firstly, two-lane is TOO DAMN NARROW. Same for the Lyari Expressway too. There are two-lane flyovers, and believe me, they are useless. In the case of flyovers, though, it's not a big problem coz they are hardly a kilometer long, but this thing is 24 km long.

With speed restrictions, no flyovers at key points (Airport and Rashid Minhas), just two lanes, this project has started to make little sense to me. Personally I was also let down when I learned Lyari E'way was 2-lane wide, but at least I don't intend to use it, so it's academic for me.

April 3rd, 2007, 03:55 PM

The Lyari should atleast be 6 lanes, considering they have space available, its just the cost their cutting.

While this expressway is only 4 lanes, no emergency lanes whatsoever ..

And considering how our people tend to drive between 2 lanes (driving on the lane markers, blocking both lanes, and driving at 20 Km/h), it would be quite illogical to just have 2 lanes, hell Sharea Faisal is 6 lanes at most times so I cant see what the problem is!

oogabooga

April 3rd, 2007, 04:19 PM

Even a two-lane expressway is enough if properly managed and policed! If there are proper traffic police patrolling the expressway or if there are cameras installed and people are fined for violating the laws, including but not limited to, driving between lanes, not observing the speedlimit or holding up the traffic by driving slowly etc.

Furthermore why would any of you want a 4 lane elevated expressway going through the heart of the city? The land beneath the expressway will be void of sunlight and extremely ugly! Having a two lane expressway serves the purpose of having a secondary traffic artery exactly where it is needed and also preserving the beauty of the area, to some extent.

I think a two lane express way with service lanes on both sides is enough if proper traffic policing is carried out, which I am sure the builders will look into. But yes there definately should be more interchanges at key areas. I think they are probably aware of this too and probably plan on adding them lateron.

What do you folks think?

April 3rd, 2007, 04:24 PM

oogabooga

April 3rd, 2007, 04:32 PM

As I was reading the article above, a serious question arises, who is this expressway being built for?

It does not pass through any Industrial Areas, it does not have Emergency lanes for Ambulances or Police cars, considering a common man who works at an office on Sharea Faisal, I highly doubt he will pay a Rs. 25 rate for a one way trip (I hope its 2 way).

And not to mention that alot of interchanges are not properly placed near key intersections.

This seems more of an eye candy project for the MQM and Mustafa Kamal !

Its being built on BOT basis, so I doubt it us for eye-candy! I can Mustafa Kamal to make it just to imorove his reputation but if thats the case, then whats in it for the international company building it? Espescially considering the fact that the company building it will directly invest $300 Million.

April 3rd, 2007, 04:41 PM

I doubt the company investing would be worried about the "blockade of sunlight" and the 11,000 some trees being chopped, all it needs is the toll tax for 20 so years.

And to be honest I doubt that even Mustafa Kamal would care about all of that, I'm not protesting against the sunlight and other issues, but all I'm disputing is that its only 4 lanes, and not to mention no emergency lanes.

Metropole

April 3rd, 2007, 05:39 PM

I still think that they should reconsider moving the expressway to run on top of the railway track that runs parallel to Shahrah-e-Faisal. There is no doubt that the expressway will uglify the most beautiful streets of Karachi, including the Club Rd area.

The alternate route is sitting there right next to the present route. It may take some more time to get the railway land but it would be worth it. All it would take is for Mush to call Sheikh and it would all be arranged.

siamu maharaj

April 3rd, 2007, 05:53 PM

If I had the ultimate power, this is what I'd do:

1. Move the station outside Karachi, near Lyari.
2. The railway track from that point onward should be converted into a 10-lane expressway.
2.5 3 lanes for traffic, 1 for heavy traffic (expecially from Karachi to the railway station), and 1 lane for buses (since a lot would be used for passengers).
3. There should be links between Sh-e-Faisal and that expressway EVERY kilometer. And proper interchange every 2/3 kms.
4. The PR's land on either side (which is huge) should be used for skyscrapers and turn that expressway into a business hub.
5. 15% of the revenue this expressway generates (over its complete lifetime) should go to PR, thus providing a good steady supply of cash. And the land should be taken for free, or a few million $$$.

It's a brilliant idea, says I!

swerveut

April 3rd, 2007, 06:26 PM

I think this expressway is still justified because shahrah e faisal traffic is already getting choked and in a couple of years time, it will be plagued by chronic traffic jams. We need to focus on building more capacity on this artery even if it comes at some cost. I would suggest some design alterations however:
- The width should be widened to accomodate emergency shoulders, because Karachi's reckless drivers are very prone to accidents.
- Entry and exit points should be reconsidered
- The lower section of Shahrah-e-Faisal should also be streamlined alongside and made more efficient for traffic to use so both the KEE and the Shahrah can be used efficiently in conjunction.
- Trees should be planted on both sides of the Shahrah and the KEE to offset the environmental degradation that might be effected by the construction of the KEE.

It is still a good idea to have a proper highway running from port to port. We are being short sighted if we think that there is very little traffic from port to port because currently, all of Karachi's major highways are intersecting at Jinnah Bridge and in the future when a whole new city is developed west of the Port (Karachi Waterfront), this will be the prime route all traffic will take from there to go to the Jinnah Airport. Also, it is a natural corridor, so why not maximize its potential?

As far as freight traffic goes, it should not be allowed to use the KEE. The KEE should be for civilian traffic only and the Northern Bypass should be used by freight because it was constructed for that reason. Also, not allowing freight traffic on the KEE will also cut down on pollution.

Lastly, I vehemently support the idea of developing another expressway from Mai Kolachi going through Sunset Blvd, and Korangi onwards to merge at Quaidabad and Super-highway. It will serve as another corridor for freight traffic and also provide valuable transport infrastructure to the Korangi industrial area.

In short, GO AHEAD WITH THE KEE, but just modify the design a little.

adzees

April 3rd, 2007, 07:27 PM

i doubt is there really 11,000 trees in this proposed KEE corridor - or its just a bogus figure to get the attention. Because i don't see that much trees in this corridor. All we have is those 1 to 2 feet plants planted, that can be take out from the root and can plant it again on the sides of shahra-e-faisal. I doubt about the environmentalist concern may be that handsome amount of money they gets from the local builders, which is not possible in this project as the project is given to an international company. And on the other side, if this environmentalist acting committee have that much concern about our already polluted environment of karachi, then why dont they raise thier voices against the pollution creates by buses, cars. Noise pollution by those so called public transport, and why dont they stop using those cellular services provided by different companies who have thier company towers in congested areas of Karachi without any proper safety measure against the electromagnetic waves and radiation generates by them.
So i would say just re-evaluate the design is the only thing CDGK has to focus on.

siamu maharaj

April 3rd, 2007, 09:13 PM

I'm against KEE in its current configuration. Not against the idea altogether. As for the Mai Kolachi Expressway, it doesn't need one, it needs some clever redesigning. I'm about to make a thread on that so I won't put in the details here.

adzees

April 4th, 2007, 02:03 AM

Elevated Expressway project meets strong opposition
Public hearing questions environmental agencies go-ahead

By our correspondent

KARACHI: Architects, town planners and other prominent figures of the city disapproved of the Environmental Impact Assessment Report (EIA) of the Karachi Elevated Expressway (KEE) project, and said that Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) had failed to justify the construction of the KEE.

While the EPA officials had declared the project of KEE “environmentally acceptable” in a public hearing held at the Sindh EPA office on Tuesday, they were unable to respond appropriately to the publics’ queries and reservations.

Concerned citizens maintained that the construction of KEE — while the traffic load on Sharea Faisal is increasing day by day — will greatly increase air and noise pollution. They added that, once built, the KEE will block sunlight and air to areas underneath it. Moreover, around 1000 trees would be cut down in order to build the KEE. The proposed 25km-long expressway will hide the faÁade of the buildings’ located on Sharea Faisal and will also cause depreciation in the real estate values of surrounding areas.

Director General of Sindh EPA, Abdul Malik Ghauri and other EPA officials insisted that the EIA had studied and covered all concerned aspects, including how to mitigate noise and air pollution. However, there were a number of people, from different walks of life, who remained unconvinced.

Pakistan Hotels Association has strongly opposed this project saying that it would have a direct impact on their business as no one would like to come and stay at the prominent hotels that would be affected by the construction of the KEE. The General Manager of Pearl Continental Hotel, Junaid Ashraf, questioned, “Who would like to stay in a room that is even below the height of a road?”

Renowned architect Arif Hassan claimed that the EIA has made a number of statements that are incorrect. “EIA is basically trying to justify the KEE Project but had not justified it statistically. It’s a mere attempt to give a rubber stamp to the CDGK project,” he alleged.

He added that he agrees with the necessity of a link between the two city ports, i.e. Keamari and Bin Qasim, but he doesn’t want this at the cost of the devastation that the KEE would bring. He added that Karachi shouldn’t be amongst those cities that built such expressways only to regret it later on. Boston has demolished their elevated expressway while Paris wants to do so. Dubai still faces the traffic congestion despite their modern infrastructure.

Many from the house said that it is not IJM (the Malaysian firm that is to build the KEE) but the citizens themselves who will have to pay the cost of this project in the form of taxes and tolls that would be charged for using the KEE.

Duria Qazi, the Head of the Visual Studies Department at KU, said that she doesn’t accept the concept of KEE toll plazas in a city where citizens are not being provided with clean water or a rubbish-free environment.

Sharea Faisal is one of the few corridors in the city that are utilised for emergencies, said Noman Ahmed of NED University. He expressed his reservations against the project saying that the city doesn’t have any other major route, if God forbid, a catastrophe hits the city.

Many believed that the day and the time chosen for the public hearing were not appropriate at all. Not more than 100 people turned up as the hearing was scheduled on a working day, which meant that most people were not able to participate.

The architects and planners suggested that a corridor be developed from Jinnah Bridge, Mai Kolachi, Khayaban-e-Saadi, Sunset Boulevard, Korangi Road all the way to Quaidabad, which they believed would serve as an alternative to Sharae Faisal and MT Khan Road.

Roland DeSouza of Shehri-CBE believed that the project is unnecessary. He claimed that the EPA in Islamabad allows all kinds of projects under government pressure. He also criticised the way Sharea Faisal is being utilised. “It can be utilised five more effectively compared to now if used in the right way,” Roland said.

Mir Hussain Ali, Environment & Alternate Energy, Government of Sindh, said that he would not suggest the construction of the KEE if it was suspicious in any way. He added that the aim of the hearing was not to create a game of opposing each other, but to listen to each other’s viewpoints in order to make the project more constructive.

He assured the house that the public hearing was not a formality and requested the Director General of EPA Sindh to examine each and every aspect of the project. “The objectors should be facilitated if there’s any need of further discussion,” he said.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=49620

adzees

April 4th, 2007, 02:08 AM

This project is turning in to KalaBagh DAM

adzees

April 4th, 2007, 02:12 AM

KARACHI: Expressway: environmental hazards identified

By Mukhtar Alam

KARACHI, April 2: The proposed construction and commissioning of a 25-kilometre elevated expressway over M.T. Khan Road and Sharea Faisal from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad Intersection by the city government may entail a host of socio-economic, environmental and vegetation-depletion problems.

According to a CDGK report submitted to the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (Sepa), the benefits offered by the rapid transit system, however, would outweigh the problems which are going to be of temporary nature or not so significant.

On the other hand, concerned citizens and professionals question the validity of the proposal, saying that the expressway along business strip Sharea Faisal, having a toll tax of Rs25 to Rs40 per trip for about 20 years, will prove beneficial either to the VIPs or the industrialists and warehouse affiliates moving to or from the Karachi Port Trust or the Port Qasim.

They say that much had been done to ease the operation of vehicular traffic in the shape of projects like Lyari Expressway and Northern Bypass and as such an economic and mass-friendly elevated corridor would be more suggestive along Mai-Kolachi, Khyaban-i-Saadi, Sunset Boulevard, Korangi Road.

The Sepa is all set to conduct a public hearing of environmental impact assessment pertaining to ‘Karachi Elevated Expressway’ (KEE) on April 3 at it’s headquarters in Korangi, near Chamra Chowrangi, at 10am.

The city government maintains that the project in question is first of its kind in the country and will bring a direct investment of $350 million to it. President Pervez Musharraf performed the ground-breaking of the project, planned to be constructed on annuity basis in three years, on February 9 at a ceremony held at the Sindh Governor’s House.

On its invitation the Sepa has received six to eight sets of comments from NGOs, individuals and utility organisations, which would be considered as part of the EIA proceedings, said a source in the environmental agency.

A summary of the project prepared on behalf of the city government said that the edge of the elevated carriageway would flank at just about the edge of the footpath at each section of the elevated corridor, while landscape would be undertaken at the narrow sections and sensitive areas.

The project at its sitting or initiation stage will have socioeconomic impact at few locations due to disruption of commercial activities. The site preparation activities will include excavation, pilling, earth and fill movement, concrete foundations and columns, transportation of construction machinery, accessories and associated equipment to the site, placement of aerial span structures, construction of elevated bridges and toll plazas, the report mentions.

However, as it was said further, such activities did not cause extensive soil erosion but some fugitive dust emissions which would be controlled through appropriate measures.

Operation of vehicular traffic on the elevated expressway will be under optimized conditions and it will be responsible for small volumes of gases, which will disperse at the heights of the expressway. The diesel and other petroleum products used for the operation of construction machinery and equipment will cause air pollution besides causing soil pollution through oil spill, but impact of those will be of minor significance and will also be controlled by good housekeeping practices.

While admitting that noise emissions from the operation on the KEE will be high in the microenvironments, it was said in the report that noise level would be contained by adopting adequate measures in the form of suitable landscaping with acoustic tiles at sensitive locations such as schools and hospitals would also be taken to minimize the impact.

The report confirms the vegetation depletion, reduction of sunlight, visual impact on historical buildings and cultural heritage, including the Quad-i-Azam House. The project also emphasizes for acquisition of land from Pearl Continental Hotel, Karachi Gymkhana, Metropole Hotel, Qasr-i-Naz and State Guest House, Regent Plaza, Sea Breeze Plaza, Navy Residential Area and Aisha Bawany School, FTC, area near HIR Interchange along CSD Shop from the Karsaz area, Central Store Depot near Drigh Road Station, and strip of land near Nargis Cinema for redefining of the ROW.

The dual two-lane KEE will ramp up and down between Quaidabad Interchange and the EPZ intersection on National Highway (N5). This as well as the other five entry and exist ramps will need land acquisitions as well, the report said.

In the meantime, an NGO Shehri, commented that the identities, qualifications and experiences of the technical consultants in the fields of transportation and traffic planning had not been mentioned in the report.

Air pollution will increase below the expressway deck and adversely affect the health of area residents and visitors, especially in sections where high-rise structures adjoin the KEE on both the sides; Shehri noted and said that noise pollution, especially at night, will affect the residents of buildings at the deck level of the expressway and would exceed internationally approved levels.

The four-lane KEE has no emergency lanes or shoulders for vehicles. The traffic diversion plan during the three years of construction is not clear, while Karachi will exist in madness during this time, especially during VVIP movement, the NGO further stated. It was also said that that the projected costs of project apparently did not include the acquisition payments for 15 acres of lands and as such there was a likelihood that the cost of the project would increase up to $500 million.

The Institute of Architects Pakistan is of the view that the KEE is a project conceived in isolation by the city government, devoid of any practical or technical justification.

http://www.dawn.com/2007/04/03/local8.htm

Metropole

April 4th, 2007, 02:53 AM

The so called 'strong opposition' consisted of 100 people showing up at the meeting. I doubt that anyone will take them too seriously.

April 4th, 2007, 04:54 AM

^^ Thats nothing, we need atleast 100,000 people to protest and then only can it be taken seriously ..

PakiDoperz

April 4th, 2007, 01:47 PM

nah man ^^^ we need one man and one petion in the court and the KEE is shelved for few years.

April 4th, 2007, 04:17 PM

^^ And we need one good judge for that ..

April 7th, 2007, 05:32 AM

A friend of mine in Karachi told me that the work has already started on this project.

Their starting from Quaidabad.

siamu maharaj

April 7th, 2007, 10:17 AM

He's probably talking about the flyover there.

Red aRRow

April 7th, 2007, 12:19 PM

i doubt is there really 11,000 trees in this proposed KEE corridor - or its just a bogus figure to get the attention.

"Moreover, around 1000 trees would be cut down in order to build the KEE."

Some over eager journalist added an additional '1' to the figure.

April 7th, 2007, 04:40 PM

^^ :lol:

Umais: Hes pretty much into these projects himself, hes sure its the "KEE" that is being constructed there, I've asked him to get pictures.

furhan_h

April 7th, 2007, 06:52 PM

^^ :lol:

Umais: Hes pretty much into these projects himself, hes sure its the "KEE" that is being constructed there, I've asked him to get pictures.

I pass through Qaidabad everyday to get to my university. Have not noticed anything going on except for the awfully slow paced flyover construction. Will have a careful look this time.

musiddiqui

April 8th, 2007, 01:56 AM

By Ardeshir Cowasjee

KEE stands for Karachi Elevated Expressway – not for Kickbacks Express and Elevated.
In March 2006, the Karachi city government (CDGK) signed an agreement with IJM Corporation Berhad, a Malaysian construction firm, to build a 25-kilometer Karachi Elevated Expressway from Jinnah Bridge, near the Karachi Port Trust head office, over Maulvi Tamizuddin Khan Road, Club Road, and Shara Faisal all the way up to Quaidabad in Landhi at a cost, then, of $225 million. The contract was awarded without inviting competitive tenders.

To open with a quote from the Malaysian press of last year : “Giving out juicy contracts without open tendering dramatically increases the likelihood of corruption involving large sums of money…….. Now you can understand why Transparency International has placed Malaysia only in 39th position whereas Singapore was ranked 5th in its Corruption Perception Index 2004. Since we are so keen to compete with Singapore, why don’t we get rid of corruption and improve our placing in the index?” This was written by Koon Yew Yin, a founder of IJM Corp Berhad.

And to continue, a quote from S.H. Zaidi writing on the KEE in Dawn this March 13 : “Since VIP movement aside, this is not the most congested route in Karachi, nor the one identified by numerous studies undertaken regarding the provision of a ‘mass transit’ system for Karachi, one suspects that this huge expenditure is envisaged just to facilitate the frequent movement of VIPs on this route. Though the firm is reported to be financing the project, ultimately it is the [Pakistani ] taxpayer who would pay through his nose for this monstrosity . . . .” Most of the present government priorities are wonky. Resources are diverted from proper solutions – in this case, provision of economical and safe public/mass transportation.

On September 5, 2006, in compliance with the Environment Protection Act 1997, the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) and CDGK organised a ‘Scoping Meeting’ for the mandatory environmental impact assessment required for ‘major roads’.

The cost of the KEE had by then, in six months, increased by 56 per cent to $350 million.

On April 3, 2007, some hundred or so citizens gathered at the SEPA Complex in Korangi for the mandatory public hearing of the comments/objections to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report prepared by the CGDK and its consultants. Two comments from this report :

“The emission level at the intersection, together with that predicted for Level-II (under the expressway), has been used to suggest that there is a likelihood of an increase in air pollutant level under the extensively covered sections, e.g., at Club Road … . .” “The Karachi city government has estimated that since 1987 over 12,000 people have lost their lives in about 22,000 traffic accidents. The root cause of this high rate of incidence is attributed to the absence of a mass transit system, which has, as correctly forecast by the Mass Transit Study of 1987, led to the phenomenal rise in privately owned cars and the consequent problem of traffic congestion on the roads. In recent years, the easy availability of bank credit for buying cars has further aggravated the situation.” At the hearing, Arif Hasan, a renowned architect and social planner, possessing a vast knowledge of Karachi’s problems, termed the exercise a “social and environmental disaster.” He challenged the EIA assumption that “expressways in South Asian countries have successfully solved transportation and vehicular movement problems.” He referred to ‘urban transport for growing cities’ by Geetam Tiwari and various publications of the Indian Institute of Technology, New Delhi, which “show that these solutions have been expensive, have caused considerable environmental and aesthetic degradation, have created immense problems for pedestrians, and, in addition, have not addressed the problems they set out to solve.”How many of our government ‘experts’ have read Tiwari’s book or any other ITT publications which discuss problems akin to those facing Karachi?

Arif told us that the many hundreds of kilometres of expressways in Bangkok, Manila, Cairo and Tehran have caused massive environmental problems relating to sound and air pollution, denial of sunlight, loss of urban space and social alienation. Today, the developed world does not build such expressways through city centres (Boston and Seoul are at present demolishing elevated expressways) In Riyadh, the expressway through the city caused so much pollution that authorities had to vacate considerable areas of land on both sides and forest them.

Ejaz Ahed and Arif Bilgaumi of the Institute of Architects Pakistan, a professional body comprising some of the finest architects this country has produced, pointed out that the KEE “was conceptually flawed, conceived under a miscomprehension of the city’s traffic problems, unlikely to solve the concerns raised in the EIA, and guaranteed to cause irreparable environmental damage to the city of Karachi.”They found the EIA Report largely an attempt to belatedly justify the KEE project. They accused the CDGK of having blindly prepared the scheme without involving planning principles or PEPA’s ‘Sectoral Guidelines for Major Roads’, without proper traffic studies (including increased traffic on crossroads leading to the KEE), and without an exhaustive examination of alternative routes/schemes.

With only six in between entry/exit points (Jinnah Bridge, Avari Hotel (entrance only), FTC, Karsaz, Rashid Minhas Road, Star Gate, Quaidabad) the utility of the KEE seemed minimal. The project will not serve the industrial areas, or the central business district of Saddar. Ecological issues highlighted by IAP included heightened noise and air pollution (levels of nitrogen oxide at the Liaquatabad flyover are by far the highest in the city, according to a SEPA survey), respiratory diseases, cutting of hundreds of trees, and ruination of the most attractive boulevard in the city. The up and down nature (to clear existing bridges and flyovers) of the KEE route increases the danger of accidents involving dangerous and volatile cargoes.

Mitigation measures proposed by the CDGK are “vague, unclear and unacceptable.” IAP suggested that: “anyone wanting to picture the ambiance of the resulting roadway need only stand under the NIPA or Liaquatabad flyovers and imagine them extending over 25 km.” The IAP also did some number crunching: recovery of the present cost of the KEE would necessitate collection of over three million rupees in tolls each day, leading to a fantastic number of cars or trucks having to use the expressway for the venture to be feasible.

Roland deSouza of Shehri questioned the very raison d’etre of the venture. He went back to the basics and proposed the strict enforcement of driving laws and discipline on the roads of Karachi (unrealistic in the present circumstances but nevertheless vital).

He called for traffic police vigilance and public education campaigns for drivers and pedestrians, for the relocation of critical activities such as the filling of upcountry oil tankers at the Superhighway instead of having products pumped back to Keamari from the National Refinery in Korangi, the enforcement of nonpeak road timings for tankers, trucks and others heavy vehicles, parking discipline on the streets, proper utilisation of mandatory parking spaces in buildings, removal of road encroachments, and efficient signals and traffic control (with back-up power supply). He also suggested that whatever inter-port or upcountry freight traffic was projected could be handled more economically and in a more environmentally-friendly manner by rail.

The KEE envisages the acquisition of approximately 15 acres of land for right-of-way at various locations, including the Pakistan Railway, KPT , Qasre Naz, State Guest House, FTC in the public sector, and Pearl Continental, Metropole, Avari, Regent Plaza Hotels, Karachi Gymkhana, Aisha Bawany School, Nargis Cinema in the private sector.

The Catholic Archbishop of Karachi filed an objection to the proposed encroachment of the KEE on 1,337 square meters of land in the Christian Cemetery, terming it contrary to the President’s Ordinance V of 2002 promulgated “to protect the properties of minority communities meant for their communal use.” The people of Karachi want to “LIVE”. This is their inherent right. Even General Musharraf and Shaukat Aziz will not be able to contest this. Many questions asked by the people and their organisations of the corrupt city government remain unanswered. e-mail: arfc@cyber.net.pk

Source: Dawn e-Paper (http://epaper.dawn.com/ArticleText.aspx?article=08_04_2007_007_005)

swerveut

April 9th, 2007, 05:56 PM

this dont seem to be going too well....

furhan_h

April 10th, 2007, 06:49 PM

This has nothing to do with what Cowasjee thinks about the EE, but I really dislike the old coot! The guy's a hypocrite.

oogabooga

April 10th, 2007, 08:01 PM

This has nothing to do with what Cowasjee thinks about the EE, but I really dislike the old coot! The guy's a hypocrite.

Care to elaborate a bit more?

siamu maharaj

April 10th, 2007, 08:28 PM

1) What's Cowasjee's view? Haven't read about it, would be glad if you can share.

2) Cowasjee a hypocrite? He's the greatest man in Pakistan!

oogabooga

April 10th, 2007, 08:36 PM

1) What's Cowasjee's view? Haven't read about it, would be glad if you can share.

2) Cowasjee a hypocrite? He's the greatest man in Pakistan!

Post Number 216 in this thread is the column Cowasjee wrote on the KEE! And yes Cowasjee is a great man. I mean, how many rich people who have everything actually give two shits about the little man and fight for peoples rights? (I am talking about Cowasjee, for those who dont know)

siamu maharaj

April 11th, 2007, 09:15 AM

Post Number 216 in this thread is the column Cowasjee wrote on the KEE! And yes Cowasjee is a great man. I mean, how many rich people who have everything actually give two shits about the little man and fight for peoples rights? (I am talking about Cowasjee, for those who dont know)
He's da man!

He was also right about the KPT underpass at Schon Circle. It's ill-planned beyond belief. I have to pass that place about 4-5 times daily, it's a major bitch. That underpass was just a PR effort by KPT.

When Cowasjee speaks, I listen.

oogabooga

April 12th, 2007, 07:46 AM

Arif Hasan

THE Karachi City Government has decided to build an elevated expressway, called the Karachi Elevated Expressway (KEE) from Jinnah Bridge to Quaidabad. The Expressway will pass over Moulvi Tamizzuddin Road, Club Road and Sharea Faisal. is to relieve congestion on Sharea Faisal and provide a fast link between Karachi Port and Port Qasim for port related traffic. The narrowest section of the corridor through which the KEE will pass is from the PIDC to Napier Barracks. This stretch is Karachi’s potential tourist area and contains its main five star hotels, Gymkhana Club, Sindh Club, Quaid-e-Azam Museum and Napier Barracks (which are heritage buildings). Frere Hall is also in close proximity. In this stretch the KEE will cover almost the entire road width.
As required under law an Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) has been carried out by consultants hired by the proponent. The EIA findings are that the adverse affects of the KEE are minor and can be mitigated. At a public hearing on the EIA citizens and professional bodies expressed serious concerns on the concept and design details of the KEE. However, the design details and the financial feasibility are of secondary importance. It is the concept of an elevated expressway through the most prestigious corridor in Karachi that needs to be questioned.

The EIA has stated that elevated expressways in other countries have solved traffic problems similar to the ones faced by Sharea Faisal and that there is no other solution to these problems apart from constructing the KEE.

This view conflicts sharply with a large body of technical and academic literature on transport engineering and with the experi ence of a number of cities that have constructed elevated ex- pressways through their city centres. Bangkok, Manila, Tehran, Cairo and Dubai have all constructed scores of kilome- tres of expressways. These ex- pressways have not solved traf- fic problems and traffic condi- tions in these cities are far worse than Karachi. Dubai, which is nearest to us in geographical terms, is grid-locked for six to eight hours a day.

No country in the developed world today would ever dream of building an expressway to their city centres because of the environmental and aesthetic degradation that they cause. As a matter of fact, San Francisco, New York, Boston, Seoul and Paris have actually demolished their ex pressways and turned them into public space or housing.

This demolition has relieved traffic congestion because it has been accompanied by better traffic management, the development of a larger traffic and transportation plan, segregation of local and thorough traffic and/or the building of segregated bus ways which have supported people opting for taking the bus rather than using a car.

In our case none of these alternatives have been explored and nor is the KEE a part of a larger traffic and transportation plan. This was recognised by the consultants during the public hearing.

There are also financial issues that have not been seriously studied.

The investment by a foreign company for the KEE is to be recovered by a toll on vehicles using the KEE. At the hearing we were informed that the traffic volume on Sharea Faisal that would use the KEE was not sufficient for the company to recover their investment.

As such, it has been decided to divert all port related traffic onto the KEE in spite of the fact that other options such as the very feasible routes of the Southern and Northern Bypasses are available.

So we will now have trucks, container vehicles and tankers plying overhead the Sharea Faisal in addition to encroachment on urban space and the denial of sun light in the narrower confines of our most prestigious corridor. Again, this decision conflicts with experience for cities like Bangkok, Seoul and Manila are trying to limit or ban heavy traffic on their inner city expressways. Boston has demolished the expressway carrying heavy traffic and in Riyadh the pollution of the expressway passing through the city was so heavy that they decided to vacate the areas on either side of it and forest them. In addition, the Institute of Architects Pakistan (IAP) has pointed out that for an average toll of Rs 20 per vehicle, 143,835 vehicles per day would be required to use the expressway. Where they will come from is not known.

The building of the KEE is an ad-hoc and ill-informed decision. It is the expressed desire of the city government to turn Karachi into a “world class city”. The building of the expressway will certainly not help in achieving this objective.

furhan_h

April 12th, 2007, 04:22 PM

Regarding Cowasjee - There was a time when I used to read his weekly ramblings quite regularly and found them very inspirational - Then I realised that the guy only pops his head out of his heavily guarded shell, criticises everything ad nauseum, and zips back inside until his next appearance. He's no angel himself. Just that he can speak really well and knows his art of flaming. Irfan Husain is so much better and versatile. Anyways, that's entirely my personal view, so I guess no one has the right to chew my ass!

swerveut

April 12th, 2007, 05:51 PM

siamu maharaj

April 12th, 2007, 09:17 PM

Hey, I wasn't chewing you ass! I was just wondering why you thought so. Everyone is entitled to his/her opinion.

Sikandar

April 12th, 2007, 09:29 PM

I've read a lot of Arif Hasan's stuff doing my urban planning program at U of T and to keep it brief: I would listen when he talks. It might be frustrating that nothing is being built, but trust me, we would much rather nothing being built rather than another ill-planned project. There are a lot of world-class planning firms and institutes waiting in the wings to select a problem like Karachi and start developing solutions. Putting millions of dollars into urban planning and design would certainly sound luxurious and useless to those who don't understand it, but it certainly costs a lot more to deal with the problems of a poorly-planned city! Just the inefficiency of Chundrigar Road and the port area ALONE must cost millions per year, given it's the hub of Pakistani industry.

Sikandar

April 12th, 2007, 09:32 PM

I'd also like to add that I don't like the Gwadar plan either and I hope someone eventually gets the idea that hiring a planning firm with world-class experience (NOT 'Qadri Associates' from Quetta) and investing millions (instead of thousands) is probably a good start when starting an international port city that will handle BILLIONS of dollars worth of material.

Sikandar

April 12th, 2007, 09:34 PM

I know Musharraf made a point to involve Balochis in the development of Gwadar.. but please, NOT the planning firm! Send around your e-mails and try to be heard guys.. I hope guys like Arif Hasan take note as well.

Metropole

April 13th, 2007, 11:59 AM

With all the editorials and letters appearing in DAWN these days against this project, I think it is going to die a slow death with a whimper that you'll barely get to hear.

Hooray for nothing.

I guess we probably wont get any expressway OR any other thing like mass transit or something else after all. And Karachi will live on... one badly conceived project after countless let downs to another great one... still hoping someday to implement a proper solution to its transport woes.

:(

I don't think that the project will be dropped just because of the protests of a few people. If it worked that way then nothing would ever get done as there's nothing that someone or the other doesn’t object to.

Anyways, the people that are against this project are the usual gang who object to everything that happens here. I wonder why they don't move to Sukkar where there's no danger of any project happening.

That said, I agree with Sikandar that we need to hire some world-class city planners from abroad to advise us on a proper strategy for Karachi. City planning is a complex subject and I don't believe that the Karachi city govt. has the required level of skill in-house. This is proven from the poor design and construction quality of the recently built flyovers.

The amount of money being spent is big enough for the city to be able to able to afford to hire good quality consultants.

For traffic they should appoint a "traffic commissioner" who should be responsible for creating a traffic master plan for the whole city. This would include

1) Bringing the roads to international standards,
2) Road markings, stop signs, traffic lights etc.
3) Plan to enforce the traffic rules.
4) Strategy for building flyovers and underpasses and elevated roads
5) Building proper footpaths for pedestrians.
6) Getting rid of encroachments that block traffic
7) Building a centralized traffic control room
8) etc.

Planning is what we need. If the 24 km elevated expressway is built I'll be happy, but if it's not built than it'll be because it wasn't planned properly. If it had been planned properly then the city govt. should have no trouble explaining it to the citizens which I don’t think they’ve done till now because of which it seems like an ad hoc decision and not part of a bigger plan.

adzees

April 18th, 2007, 04:14 AM

By Fasahat Mohiuddin

Karachi

The work on Karachi Elevated Expressway (KEE) has been started from Shahra-e-Faisal followed by shifting of electric poles and resettlement of trees. While the land that was earlier required by the city government for the purpose is no more needed due to some adjustments in the design of the project.

The project Director Tameer-e-Karachi programme, Rauf Akhtar Farooqi disclosed to The News that for the first time in the history of Karachi any project like KEE has been sent for approval to the Environmental protection Agency (EPA). It is hoped that it will be approved in a week’s time and it is mandatory that such projects be sent to EPA for approval. Farooqi said that the NOC of various agencies such as PTCL, Sui Sourthern Gas, and KWSB have been acquired. Furthermore, common man will be benefitting through this huge project as it will serve as a link between two ports i.e. Karachi Port Trust and Port Qasim.

Referring to Sharae Faisal he said that the traffic on this road where daily one lac vehicle operate from 4:00 p.m. to 12 midnight will ease. The KEE will not only solve the traffic congestion at Shahra-e-Faisal but fuel consumption will also decrease along with the minimizing the frustration of the drivers driving their vehicle on this road.

Furthermore, the emergency service vehicles will also be able to pass through Sharae Faisal speedily. He said that there were three options for Sharae Faisal, either widen the road or construct an under pass and the last option was the KEE. The project will be completed in three years time.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=51841

April 18th, 2007, 05:44 AM

He said that there were three options for Sharae Faisal, either widen the road or construct an under pass and the last option was the KEE.
http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=51841

Hello? The Mass Transit plan? What the hell is this guy on about?

Hes thinking just like those stupid planners who think of either just widening the roads or just making a flyover left right and centre ..

siamu maharaj

April 18th, 2007, 06:36 AM

It actually can't be widened, so what the hell is that all about? There's no extra space.

April 18th, 2007, 06:50 AM

A year back or so the Governor ordered that tiles be placed on the sidewalks of Sharea Faisal, I'm not sure if they have been but how the heck would you widen it when the Governor tells you to put tiles on it?

And why should it be widened? Its not like we have a 100 acres of land on each side ..

Metropole

April 20th, 2007, 03:33 AM

CDGK starts moving 2,000 trees on Shahra-e-Faisal

By Jamil Khan

KARACHI: The Parks and Horticulture Department has started moving trees on Shahra-e-Faisal to prepare ground for the construction of the Karachi Elevated Expressway. Sources in the works and services department of the city government, who wished to remain anonymous, said that the construction was expected to start in May. In the meantime, work on shifting trees and underground utility services had already commenced.

An estimated 2,000 trees will have to be either removed or cut, according to the Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) report. District Officer of Parks and Horticulture Department, Liaquat Ali Khan, told Daily Times that the task of removing trees would be completed in a couple of weeks. "Once all the trees are removed, they will be replanted at newly developed roads in different parts of the city. The entire process will take two to three months," he said.

The consultant, who compiled the environmental impact assessment, had mentioned the details regarding the vegetation of Shahre-e-Faisal after conducting a survey last year. The trees include a large number of neem (azadirachta indica), peepal (ficusregiosa), kaner (thevetia nereifolia), amaltas (laburnum anagytoides), gul mohar (delonix regia) and sultana champa (calophyllum incophyllum).

An agreement signed between a Malaysian firm identified as IJM Corporation Berhad and the city government on March 1, 2006 states that the construction of a 24-kilometer long elevated expressway would have an estimated cost of $225 million. But even though the project has yet to start, the price tag has been raised without any particular reason, to $350 million. At the same time, the period of collecting toll tax was also increased from 15 years to 20 years.

After almost one year of the agreement, President General Pervez Musharraf performed the ground-breaking of the project on February 9, 2007 at a ceremony held at the Governor House.

Sources in the Sindh Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) said that the suggestions brought forward regarding the expressway in a public hearing, held on April 3, 2007 at SEPA's office in Korangi, were sent to the CDGK's committee of experts. Some of the suggestions were dealt with on the spot; however the remaining will be answered soon.

A large number of public representatives and private parties, including NGOs, submitted their comments and suggestions at the public hearing. The Secretary of the Environmental and Alternate Energy, Mir Hussain Ali, vowed to cater to all points raised in the EIA and added that the NOC of the project would be issued after all problems were resolved.

Provincial Minister for Environmental and Alternate Energy, Dr Saghir Ahmed, and the Project Director of Tameer-e-Karachi Programme, Rauf Akhter Farooqi, were not available for comments on this issue despite repeated attempts to contact them.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\04\20\story_20-4-2007_pg12_2

Edwardes

April 22nd, 2007, 01:04 AM

Wouldn't it be more sane to just build a bloody underground line?

oogabooga

April 22nd, 2007, 01:04 AM

Wouldn't it be more sane to just build a bloody underground line?

Like the SMART tunnel Malaysia is building! But we dont have that kinda money.

ahadhayat11

April 22nd, 2007, 07:22 AM

He's da man!

He was also right about the KPT underpass at Schon Circle. It's ill-planned beyond belief. I have to pass that place about 4-5 times daily, it's a major bitch. That underpass was just a PR effort by KPT.

When Cowasjee speaks, I listen.

wats wrong wid da underpass... its perfectly fine. As for Cowasjee, he never said anything against the underpass. He is actually a big supporter of kpt and the kpt management. Atleast thats what he told me. As for the swiming pool that took place, it took place because the surrounding area doesnt have a good drainage and all the water ended up goin into the underpass..
Kpt didnt make it cos they wanted to ..it was under the karchi project that mushi boy had and kpt funded for roads,underpasses and fly overs. FWO is making it, not kpt

oogabooga

April 22nd, 2007, 07:40 AM

wats wrong wid da underpass... its perfectly fine. As for Cowasjee, he never said anything against the underpass. He is actually a big supporter of kpt and the kpt management. Atleast thats what he told me. As for the swiming pool that took place, it took place because the surrounding area doesnt have a good drainage and all the water ended up goin into the underpass..
Kpt didnt make it cos they wanted to ..it was under the karchi project that mushi boy had and kpt funded for roads,underpasses and fly overs. FWO is making it, not kpt

Actually, he did write about/against the KPT underpass.

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The Clifton Cross

By Ardeshir Cowasjee

WE all carry crosses around our necks, burdens difficult to bear. If the Clifton Cross, a ‘development’ which we in Karachi now traumatically witness, is not be a cross around the necks of this city’s citizens for ever and ever, a miracle is needed.

The Clifton intersection, midway between the Teen Talwar roundabout and the Do Talwar roundabout, where the main Clifton Road intersects with Khayaban-e-Roomi and Khayaban-e-Jami running between Mai Kolachi Chowk and Submarine Chowk, which is known as Schon Circle, is in the throes of a major upheaval.

To enable the traffic to move and cross over smoothly without interrupting the flow of traffic (traffic lights), a traffic ‘clover’ was envisaged. What combined intelligence and mass thought process finally settled on was a through-road crossing over an underpass. The plan was approved by the various uninitiated ‘experts’ who run this city.

The city government stated it had no funds, so the brilliant powers that govern Karachi ordered that the rich and well-endowed Karachi Port Trust, which operates one of the most expensive ports in this region and has money to spare, cough up funds to be spent on an area which KPT neither owns nor controls. (True to form, not one trustee in whose trust KPT funds rest, objected or even suggested that the money be loaned to the city government and shown as an amount due until repaid or ordered to be written off.) So, the KPT has assumed full responsibility for making and developing the cross.

The man in charge is Engineer Brigadier Jamshed Zaidi, a most amiable individual, the project designers are Nespak, the head project man being Engineer Ashraf Dangra, and the work has been contracted out to the Army’s Frontier Works Organization. Capable Engineer Major Sarfaraz Rao is the FWO man in charge of the project, and the executive engineer, Lt Colonel Akhtar Zaman can be found working at the site up to 2300 hours each day.

The FWO men say they can complete the work within a period of four months provided they are given due cooperation by the authorities who control the disconnection and relocation of utilities and services, that is water, sewage, electricity, gas, telephones, cable TV, and whatever else. The authority controlling and coordinating this manoeuvre is the KPT which in fact exercises no control over those in charge of the utilities and services.

Needless to say, the approved design of the Clifton Cross is faulty. No vehicular traffic wishing to turn right from any of the four roads will be able to flow directly and uninterruptedly. It will have to turn left, traverse a distance and then make a U turn. The flow will not be smooth. And pedestrians will be unable to cross the roads from one side to another. As things stand, the project will take over a year to complete, and the survivors will then have to grin and bear the Clifton Cross for an unforeseeable future.

On to a new-old subject, that of billboards, the core issue of my column last Sunday. There is case law, and a judgment in favour of the people stands.

In 2002, the Clifton and Defence Traders Welfare Association filed a suit in the High Court of Sindh against the President of the Clifton Cantonment Board (CCB) and four others (Suit No.1109/02, PLD 2003 Karachi 495). It was decided in February 2003 when Justice Mushir Alam handed down his order.

The Association sought restraining action against the defendants “from erecting/allotting, letting out any site/space to any person for the display/view of the sign boards advertisement hoardings on the pavements or any other place at the Schon Circle or on the side lanes and further restraining orders are sought against the defendants from awarding any new contract.”

Certain members of the Association have their offices in Dollawala Centre, at Schon Circle. Up to 2002, placards, hoardings and sign boards were either placed on the rooftop of their building or put up in such a manner as not to block the view of the occupants of the building. However, in October 2002, someone began to erect a “mammoth hoarding” of proportions quite against those allowed by the CCB rules and regulations, right in front of Dollawala Centre blocking the view of the Association members, their light and air.

A licence had wrongly been issued by the CCB to the advertisers allowing them to install a billboard measuring 48 x 12 feet. This was quite contrary to the CCB’s own policy which “provides and fixes the maximum size of the hoarding as 20 x 40 feet.” Not content with this, the advertisers went one better and came up with a billboard measuring an incredible 60 x 20 feet. The CCB did nothing to stop them. It generously acquiesced in the violation of its own rules.

As wrote Justice Alam : “The plaintiff’s grief is against the mushroom growth of billboards of abnormal size in the vicinity. Such unplanned hoardings are indeed sour and not a treat to the eyes, more particularly when such huge hoardings and boards and affixed blocking the view and so also the frontage and elevation of the commercial establishment ... such practice not only causes annoyance and discomfort but also blocks the view of the surroundings, hinders exposure to and from the office on the front side of the road hampering their view overlooking the city, prejudicially affecting enjoyment of their property, impeding business and keeping away the prospective customers/clients.”

The CCB lawyer pleading the case tried to justify the CCB violation by citing other wrongs, “on account of upcoming hoardings in the other parts of the city.” This prompted Justice Alam to state and to order :

“It is indeed anomalous that various civic agencies operate in this cosmopolitan city of Karachi and are all oblivious of the responsibility and duty cast upon them to at least frame and follow a uniform policy in respect of matters of common denomination such as an advertisement policy.” He stated that the defendant could “not be allowed to deviate on such ground against their own policy ... A compromise entered into between the parties cannot be allowed to nullify the policy nor can such compromise be allowed to be enforced if found to be in negation of any provision of law ... If the subject board is allowed to be installed in the manner proposed it will indeed, in my opinion, affect and invade the peaceful enjoyment of the property by the constituent of the plaintiffs.

“Prima facie case and balance of convenience is, therefore, under the facts and circumstances in favour of confirmation of interim orders. Defendants are directed that the proposed hoarding or the advertisement board not more than the size permissible under the Advertisement Policy, 1999, i.e. 20 x 40, may be affixed at such height and in such manner as it may not obstruct the view, vision and elevation of the plaintiffs’ commercial establishment.”

Yesterday came more good news on this public nuisance by way of a news item on page 19 of the Metropolitan section of this newspaper. Justice Zia Pervez of the Sindh High Court has restrained the city government from licensing any more billboards and hoardings pending the hearing of a suit against ‘violative hoardings in the city.

link (http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20050403.htm)

April 22nd, 2007, 07:41 AM

There was a picture in todays Dawn which had some cut off trees on Sharea Faisal in it.

I believe they've definately started work on it.

oogabooga

April 22nd, 2007, 07:44 AM

And another...........

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

The Clifton Cross : a complete mess

Ardeshir Cowasjee

THE ‘core issue’ for millions who commute on Karachi’s roads is, at this moment in time, the Clifton Cross (about which I have written earlier this month). Now, to follow the wont of Weaver of Magic Spells George Wellington Wells who always pressed onwards, the subject is continued.

“Ecco, no camber, no storm water drainage, damaged road faccia. No ready repair gangs. For why your engineers wasting city money? For what they are doing? Why such high footpaths? How high walker can climb?”

Such was the constant refrain muttered by Engineer Paolo Tradardi, consultant for Corneliano and Sidermar of Italy, as we drove along Karachi’s roads in those far off days, long before Jawaharlal Nehru marched into Marmagoa in 1961. The Italians were then importing Goaneze ore and Karachi was a midway port from which a regular passenger-cargo ship ran to Goa and back.

Tradari had a practical engineer’s trained and enquiring mind and his Italish was perfectly understandable. His remarks would today be identical and he would have rejected the Clifton Cross plan out of hand, with disdain. We are moving backwards.

The Clifton Cross was planned over a year ago, and was first discussed at a Tameer-e-Karachi meeting in June 2004 chaired by the then Commander 5 Corps, Lt General Ahsan Saleem Hyat (now VCOAS). Those present included City Nazim Niamatullah Khan, and a number of civil and military officials.

It is impossible to conceive that any one of the attendants could express any opinion contrary to that of Commander 5 Corps. In such manner are the affairs of our city decided. We were better off under the British one century ago, as can be judged from how the Gateway of India at Bombay, a city project presenting no impediment or inconvenience to the public, was designed and built : “George Wittert prepared alternate designs during 1912-13 for the monument. Models as well as drawings were exhibited for the public and criticisms and suggestions were received and considered. It was only in August 1914 that the final plans were sanctioned and Witteret altered the alignment of the harbour front to arrange his scheme.” (‘Bombay - The Cities Within’, Sharada Dwivedi/Rahul Mahrotra, pub.1995).

Anyhow, now frightened voices mutter, ‘I’m telling you but don’t say I told you.’ Reportedly a proper three-level design was presented (underpass/at grade/overpass) allowing for an uninterrupted flow of traffic from and to all directions. This was rejected: the order was given ‘Present another design within 15 days.’ The new makeshift design, cheap and careless, allows for no right turns, it is totally inadequate, and it is doubtful that it would be approved even in a backward republic reversing towards the fourth world.

A vehicle going towards Clifton from Teen Talwar wishing to turn right at Schon Circle to get to Mai Kolachi will have to travel up to Do Talwar and come round and back and turn left. A vehicle going towards the city from Clifton wishing to turn right at Schon Circle to get to Submarine Chowk will have to go up to Teen Talwar, turn round and come back to Schon Circle and turn left.
A vehicle coming from Mai Kolachi wishing to turn right and go to Clifton will have to go up to the Submarine Chowk, turn around, and come back to Schon Circle to turn left. A vehicle coming from Submarine Chowk and wishing to get to Teen Talwar will have to go all the way up to the Mai Kolachi roundabout and come back to Schon Circle and turn left.

Additional travelling time for each double-back comes to roughly 10 minutes over a distance of 1.5 kilometres. Multiply this by the number of vehicles plus man hours over a period of 50 years. Time and money lost — phenomenal!

If all this is unclear to any reader, he or she should consult an engineer.

What is needed is a three-tiered design. Designers NESPAK say that even at this stage a design can be provided if ‘client’ or ‘sponsor’ KPT asks for one. KPT is spending the Trust’s money, the people’s money. It should, before it is too late, order NESPAK to provide the design and tell the city government what should be done.

However, the city government couldn’t care less. Good old Nazim Niamatullah will say “I’ll be dead and gone, and so will old Cowasjee! Why is he agitating?” Should those responsible for this city not do what is right and proper for the welfare of its people?

Right now, immediately, something must be done to alleviate the mess that has been made, and to lessen the sufferings and trauma caused to commuters. For one thing, when such a project is undertaken, it is expected that work will continue for 24 hours a day, seven days a week, and that tools will not be downed for holidays and high days.

For another, a suggestion : That the governor, the city nazim, the city police chief, and whoever else is responsible, get into the driver’s seat of their own cars, with me sitting besides them, and travel, without escorts, sirens or police vehicles, over the dug-up/disturbed terrain and over all the available alternative routes on main roads and through sidelanes and backroads. Then and then only will they realize what the citizens, to whom they are responsible, are suffering and will be forced to suffer for the next two years. Then and then alone they may feel inclined to do something about it.

It can be done, if they think and plan (if capable of thought) and then organize the necessary repairs/recarpeting of the alternative routes, working obviously only during the night, every night. Would those concerned care to respond and react?

link (http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20050424.htm)

oogabooga

April 22nd, 2007, 07:45 AM

And one last one.......................

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Clifton Cross: the deaf have heard

By Ardeshir Cowasjee

IT seems that only men of learning are concerned with what happens around them. At 1100 hours on Sunday, April 24, the morning on which my second column on the complete mess that is the Clifton Cross was printed, I received an e-mail.

It was from Digbijoy [Banglacized ‘Digvijay’] Bhowmik, Assistant Director, Project Management and Coordination of the National Capital Region Planning Board of New Delhi, a young Indian architect with a Master’s qualification in town and country planning. He was so horrified (“unsettling to read”, as he put it) by my description of the lack of planning involved.

His initial remark was that the first article I had written on the subject (April 3) had left him “wondering if there were any qualified and capable individuals in Karachi for dealing with geometric designs for interchanges,” but that this second one had somewhat relieved his apprehensions as he understood that NESPAK had offered to alleviate the inherent geometric design flaws in the interchange.

He then proceeded to tell me how things work in Delhi. A complex interchange commissioned at the AIIMS crossing was designed through competitive bidding, and decisions as to what it can achieve in terms of balancing the number of conflict points and reducing time were taken entirely on the merits of the design. The Delhi interchange is a three-tier geometric design conceptualized by an architect who won a design competition called specifically for the project.

The appointed consultants came up with a minimally invasive four-year construction programme for the interchange at what is one of Delhi’s busiest intersections, with a single straight arm average daily traffic measuring up to 8,500 to 10,000 PCU per day.

Remarkably, throughout the entire construction period traffic was held up only in one arm of the interchange at any given time. Prior to the interchange, the intergreen period (the time taken between two cycles of the light to turn green) at the intersection was over four minutes and the average waiting time no less than three intergreen periods. Following its commissioning, there is no stopping or slowdown in any arm of the traffic. The saving in time, cost and fuel has been reduced considerably.

One important point : side by side with construction, strategic traffic planning took place to ensure that not just the access-ways would be managed but that the volume flowing along them would also be managed by relocating heavy traffic. According to young Digbijoy, “A single entity like an interchange or the Clifton Cross is not viable in the long run to alleviate congestion from a network. What is needed is a proper mechanism for monitoring the health of the urban transportation network which must be periodically supplemented through studies, surveys and gravity modelling of traffic ... At a time when the overlords of Karachi can be so generous as to grant a seventy-something-year-old city official an extension, that clearly shows the intentions to ‘find room’ for the man at whatever cost, should they not at least maintain a good inventory of traffic and transportation data?”

The clueless city administrators, in conjunction with the Karachi Port Trust go-getters (who have no business to be involved in the city road building business), are not only fiddling with our roads and making life miserable for millions through their myopic and careless approach to the construction works at the Clifton Cross, but they and the equally energetic Defence Housing Authority administrators also have grandiose plans for the Clifton beach, in the name of recreation for the people, and naturally at the cost of the people.

They intend reclaiming some of the land now covered by seawater containing some 99 per cent raw sewage, raising high-rise commercial and residential complexes and all that goes with them (scams), and, to top it all, they plan to have a jet d’eau (Geneva !) out in the middle of the sewage, near Oyster Rocks, that will cost a cool Rs.60,000 to operate for approximately five hours a day — and this in a country stricken with poverty, still not completely off the hock, and with an uncertain and somewhat rocky future.

Let us see what happens in a democratic country, when those who administer and care for a city decide to do good by its citizens. In 1988, in New York City (just over half the population of Karachi), Governor George Pataki signed into law legislation to create the Hudson River Park, stretching along the river from Battery Park to 59th Street in Manhattan, bringing to the Westside and to millions of New Yorkers a world class park. The Hudson River Park is intended to be to the 21st century what Central Park has been to the 20th century. A Hudson River Park Trust was set up, with a board of 13 directors. Meetings are held once every two months and are open to the public and are publicly noticed.

The legislation came after years of efforts by many citizens’ groups supported by the effective Mayor Rudi Guiliani whose aim was to transform the waterfront into a parkland with a five-mile esplanade featuring only recreational activities and restaurants. The Hudson River Park Act legislates essential park and habitat protection and ends the threat of expanding commercialization of the waterfront. It prohibits residential, warehousing, manufacturing, offices, hotels and gambling uses within the park area. It is a place where park-starved New Yorkers can breathe in fresh air, sit in the sun, help educate their children about the ecology and history of the Hudson. It is a place for running, playing, dancing, boating, or simply watching the boats sail by — a place for relaxing with family, friends and neighbours.

The granite esplanade brings the public close to the water, while town docks, boat houses, a beach and launches for canoes and kayaks allow people to touch or enter the water. On land, undulating green lawns and groves of trees will separate walkers from a bikeway, and ballfields are open to both children and adults. Thirteen rebuilt piers stretch into the river.

The Hudson River Park Act reserves the area exclusively for recreation and limits the types and locations of commercial activities — only food concessions and recreational (boating, an ecology centre, miniature golf, playgrounds, skate park, trapeze school, volleyball, etc). Every dollar made within the park will go right back into the park’s construction, maintenance and operations. The estimated cost is $ 330 million, State and City governments have committed $ 100 million each and the remainder comes from lease revenue and private fund-raising. The first section opened in 1999, and the projected date of completion is this year.

As for Karachi, this paragraph is dedicated to those of Nazimabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Golimar, Lyari and Soldier Bazaar who e-mail me to complain that I only try (unsuccessfully, I might add) to keep the Clifton side of Karachi orderly, habitable and clean. Correct — if all of us made some effort, rather than merely moaning, to look after our own onion patches we might perhaps succeed in bringing some sanity to this godforsaken city. Rather than complain to helpless me, they should get to the governor, the chief minister, the nazims and the head honchos of all the city utilities.

Today banners fly once again in Saddar proclaiming in Urdu that Roland deSouza and Amber Alibhai of SHEHRI and I, are ‘ghaire mulki’ who are trying to stop the development of Karachi. One must live with such nonsense.

Finally, back to the core issue, the Clifton Cross. Apparently, those irresponsibly responsible for the planning of the Cross have asked the designers, NESPAK, to resubmit an altered original design to allow for some 28 per cent of the traffic emanating from all four directions to turn right. May we hope that the newly inducted chief secretary of Sindh, Fazlur Rahman, will advise wisely.

link (http://www.dawn.com/weekly/cowas/20050508.htm)