KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah made a surprise visit to Bhutto Highway to review ongoing development projects. Accompanying him were Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon, Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, and Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab.
With the Eid holidays now over, the chief minister urged the project director (PD) to speed up the pace of work. He directed that both the Jam Sadiq Interchange and Qayyumabad Interchange be completed at the earliest. “I want to open both interchanges for traffic soon to facilitate the public,” he stated.
The project director informed him that the Jam Sadiq Interchange would take three months to complete, but the chief minister instructed them to finish it within two months. He also ordered the swift completion of a roundabout under construction near the causeway on Bhutto Highway.
During the visit, Project Director Niaz Soomro and Engineer Khalid Masroor gave a detailed briefing to the Chief Minister. He instructed them to find a solution for better access to DHA and Ayesha Mosque, saying, “I’ll hold a meeting on Tuesday or Wednesday—prepare the drawings and present them.” Looking ahead, he emphasized the need to connect Bhutto Highway to the seaport within the next three years and called for advance preparations. “Once Bhutto Highway is linked to KPT, seaport traffic will be able to reach other parts of the country more efficiently,” he added.
The Chief Minister paid the toll at the Bhutto Highway Toll Plaza before heading to inspect the under-construction Qayyumabad Interchange. He was informed that the interchange, located near the Qayyumabad Bridge, has completed its on-and-off ramps connecting to Bhutto Highway.
The earthwork for the interchange ramps is nearly done, and the Chief Minister announced that the Qayyumabad Interchange will be opened for traffic by the end of April or the first week of May.
He also directed authorities to accelerate the construction of a 4-kilometer elevated road from Qayyumabad to Sammo Goth and to complete the Yellow Line Jam Sadiq Bridge within the next two months.