Mass transit project to be ready by 2007


By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, Jan 30: Sindh Home Minister, Rauf Siddiqui has said that the Karachi Mass Transit Project (KMTP) will be completed by 2007. He said there was a dire need to improve the transportation system in the metropolitan on a priority basis as 40-50 year old buses are still plying on the roads.

Addressing the 20th anniversary of Hinopak Motors Ltd. (HML) on Saturday, he also assured of early resumption of urban transport scheme (UTS). It may be mentioned here that the local bus makers are facing problems due to slowdown in sales and production of buses owing to suspension of UTS. Investors have become reluctant to place orders for new buses with the local assemblers after finding their operations unfeasible due to rising diesel prices and cost of other inputs.

He said the city needs 8,000 buses in the next four to five years to solve the difficulties faced by the commuters.

Addressing the ceremony Consul General of Japan, Shoichi Nakana said that the Japanese government has supported investments in Pakistan over the years and has offered numerous opportunities through its economic aid package.

Chairman HML, Kunwar Idris, said that the local industry had the capacity to meet the growing needs of urban transport and urged the home minister to expedite an effective revival of the UTS with induction of new and environment friendly buses to take advantage of the local capabilities.

Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer of HML, K. Maeda said Hinopak holds 60 per cent market share in medium and large trucks and buses.

Director Sales and Marketing, Irfan Shaikh said that the company had launched three new models of buses and it intends to maintain its role as a leading manufacturer of trucks and buses.


http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/31/ebr17.htm
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KARACHI: Allotment of land according to master plan ordered

KARACHI, Jan 30: Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad on Monday directed the Sindh Board of Revenue and City District Government Karachi (CDGK) officials to only allot land in accordance with master plan, saying there should be no industrial activities in areas allotted for residential, recreational or educational purpose.

He was presiding over a meeting at Governor’s House here to review matters pertaining to low-cost housing schemes and progress in provision of facilities there.

Sindh chief secretary Fazlur Rehman, secretary of local government Ishaq Lashari, Karachi city nazim Mustafa Kamal, Malir Development Project director Amirzada Kohati, member, Land Utilisation Khalid Mehmud Soomro, principal secretary Salim Khan, DCO Karachi Fazlur Rehman and other officials attended the meeting.

Speaking to the meeting, Dr Ishartul Ibad asked officials concerned to chalk out a programme for construction of residential units for people with the co-operation of financial institutions and in this regard asked for pre-qualification of developers and carrying out the programme at minimum cost.

Under the programme, the pre-qualified developers, in cooperation with financial institutions, would build residential units for people on easy conditions.

There would be relaxation on payment for one year after the possession. After one year, the payment would be made on easy instalments for three years and after four years ordinary instalments would start.

The meeting also reviewed various measures being taken for provision of basic amenities to Taeser Town.

The governor stressed the need for saving land allotted for low-cost housing schemes from landgrabbers and making them a mean of business and asked officials concerned to enforce relevant laws in this regard.

Dr Ibad directed the officials to ensure implementation of ban on heavy vehicles’ entry beyond Hawkesbay truck stand. He stressed the need for discouraging industrial and such other activities at residential areas and recreational spots.

—PPI

http://www.dawn.com/2006/01/31/local4.htm

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Construction activity picks up in Karachi: Return of workers

By Aamir Shafaat Khan

KARACHI, Feb 2: After a dull spell construction activity is picking up in the city. There was massive exodus of workers after October 8 earthquake, but now the majority of workers have returned from the quake-hit areas.

The construction activity had come to a halt in the city soon after the October 8 tragedy in the northern parts of Pakistan. Sponsors and builders, who had started their projects just before October 8, had to shelve the expensive media publicity of their mega projects due to the buyers’ reluctance to buy property and make advance booking. The builders had not shelved their projects but witnessed phenomenal decline in advance booking of flats, apartments and houses.

Now builders and developers have resumed their print and electronic media campaigns. One can see the newspapers loaded with advertisements of many projects. Many TV channels are also running their advertisements.

The property hunters, shocked by huge casualties in the earthquake, now appear to have recovered from the trauma. The builders have smelled the change and finally decided to re-launch their projects’ campaigns.

Workers and labourers are now visible on the site of various projects. However, it is hard to ascertain the exact number of workers’ who have returned from the upcountry. In fact, there is no firm data on the exact number of workers who left Karachi for Mansehra, Kashmir, Balakot and the NWFP. Some say the figure is around 40,000, while others put it over 150,000.

Chairman Association of Builders and Developers (ABAD), Hafeez ur Rahman Butt, said that 80-85 per cent workers had landed back in the city from the quake affected areas. Workers from these areas have expertise in shuttering and billet binding.

“Construction activities have actually been restored from January 2006,” he said adding that since the snowfall has engulfed most of the northern parts -the workers opted to return to Karachi to resume their work. He said no project was shelved because of the tragedy.

The former ABAD chairman, Babar Mirza Chughtai, was of the view that only 30 to 40 per cent workers had returned becaue most of them were waiting for the compensation cheques. “100 per cent workers have yet to arrive from the affected areas,” he added.

In stark contrast to the builders’ claims regarding downward trend in construction activity in the city after October 8, and subsequent recovery in January 2006, a cement-maker said that his business was not affected at all through this period and cement sales have been normal since October, 2005.

The executive director, Lucky Cement Limited, Abdul Razzak Thaplawala said that a slight drop in sales in November and December 2005 was because of holidays of two Eids followed by winter season in which construction activities remained laggard owing to short daylight. There has been a seasonal affect in cement sales all over Pakistan and not because of the earthquake tragedy, he added.

Executive member of Pakistan Sanitary Merchants and Manufacturers Association (PSMMA), M. Amin Lasania, said that 100 per cent workers of sanitary and tiles fitting belonging to the quake-hit areas have yet to arrive in the city.

“I think that 15-20 per cent labour is still short,” he said adding that perhaps many labourers are waiting for the aid in cash and kind from the government.

He said as far as sales of sanitary and tiles are concerned ,it has been normal these days. However, the only problem is the shortage of transporters for taking our goods to destinations in Punjab. Transporters are charging Rs35,000 to Rs40,000 for a 20ft container for taking goods to Punjab as compared to Rs26,000-27,000 before the earthquake. Many transporters have not returned to Karachi as they are engaged in inter-city movement of relief items.

All Pakistan Marble Mining Processors and Exporters Association Chairman Sanaullah Khan said that 90 per cent of the saw operators and heavy machine operators belonging to Mansehra and Shinkiari, who had left Karachi, have arrived just few days ahead of Eid ul Azha.

He said due to the suspension of construction activities, marble sales had dropped by over 50 per cent in Karachi after October 8, and also in other parts of the country. “With the resumption of construction activity - our work has also started,” Sanaullah said.


http://www.dawn.com/2006/02/03/ebr1.htm

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