PPP Policy board approves construction of link road between M-9, N-5

F.P. Report

KARACHI: Public Private Partnership (PPP) Policy Board has approved construction of link road between M-9 and N-5 on PPP mode.

This decision was taken in the PPP Policy Board meeting held under the chairmanship of Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah here at CM House, said a statement issued here on Wednesday.

The meeting was attended by all the board members, Dr Azra Pechuho, Saeed Ghani, Nasir Shah, Murtaza Wahab, chief secretary Mumtaz Shah, chairman P&D M. Waseem, SMBR, VC NED Dr Sarosh lodhi, provincial secretaries, Najam Shah, Kazim jatoi, DG PPP Unit Khalid Shaikh, MD Water Board Asadullah Khan and others. 

The meeting was told that the 21.8 kilometers Link Road between M-9 and N-5 needed to be reconstructed in PPP mode. In the last PPP policy board the project was approved for investors solicitation. The Board approved to award the contract to the bidder and sign concession agreement.

It was pointed out that the Karachi-Thatta road has developed some craters and has some issues, therefore the chief minister constituted a three-member committee comprising Chairman P&D Mohammad Waseem, VC NED Dr Sarosh lodhi and Secretary works to visit the road and submit their findings and recommendations for private partner.

The Hyderabad-Mirpurkhas Dual Carriageway project is the first project of the province that is completed and operational since September 2012. The meeting was told that Chigchi rickshaw or similar vehicles have replaced, to some extent, passenger cars and light good vehicles/delivery vans on the road. The board was requested that appropriate toll tax should be collected from such vehicles.

It was also pointed out that there some connecting roads being used by the commercial vehicles to avoid toll tax. The policy board, keeping in view different factors, constituted a committee under Advisor law, Murtaza Wahab, VC NED Dr Sarosh Lodhi and Secretary Finance to visit the road and its connecting roads and submit their recommendations. However, it was decided to bring Chingchi into the toll tax net. The chief minister said that it was an important economic zone to boost the economy and generate employment opportunities in the province. He said that the project had already been approved and he accorded approval to the required funding for development of the roads, laying of water lines.