CM Murad approves Rs 1.37 billion to renovate SITE Karachi roads

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has approved Rs1.37 billion for the reconstruction of all the dilapidated roads of Sindh Industrial Trading Estate (SITE) Ltd Karachi.

While chairing a meeting held with the delegation of SITE Association led by Qasim Siraj Teli at CM House today he said that his government would reconstruct all the roads under the Karachi Megaproject, said a statement.

The other delegation members were Zubair Motiwala, Suleman Chawla, Farhan Ashrafi, Jawed Bilwani, Saleem Parekh, Abdul Hadi, Abdul Rasheed and others.

The delegation told the chief minister that the condition of the roads of SITE, Karachi was already dilapidated and they were further destroyed by recent heavy rains.

They said that the roads were no more motorable these days, therefore the transport of finished goods has become a difficult task. They also pointed out that the financial condition of SITE Ltd was precarious because it was overstaffed.

The chief minister, after listening to the SITE Association, CM Murad approved an amount of Rs1.37 billion for the reconstruction of long-life roads for SITE Karachi and directed the Industries department to prepare a PC-I of the project and submit the same in the P&D for approval.

Murad Ali Shah ordered Minister Local Government Syed Nasir Shah to assign reconstruction work of the roads of SITE to the Karachi Mega Project team but an oversea committee of industrialists would monitor the construction work for which the SITE Association would recommend names.

He said that not only the construction of roads would be undertaken but along the roads, the drainage system should be developed so that rainwater get itself disposed of in gravity.

On the request of the SITE Association, the CM Murad agreed in principle to handover collection of property tax to SITE Ltd so that they not only enhance recovery and then utilize the recovered amount on the development of the SITE.

Murad Ali Shah also directed Advisor Law Murtaza Wahab to work out a legal plan to take back recovery of property tax from the Excise & Taxation department and hand it over to SITE Ltd.

On this occasion, Minister Industries Jam Ikram endorsing their statement said that against a requirement of 450 employees SITE Ltd has been overburdened with 1500 employees, therefore the funds generated locally were utilized on the salaries and pensions.

Ikram said Sindh Small Industries was also facing a similar condition, adding that extra-ordinary recruitments were made during the tenure of Gen Musharraf.