Federal Minister for Planning and Development Asad Umar Tuesday said the federal government for the first time in the country’s history, was taking the responsibility to execute five mega projects worth Rs 700 billion out of total Rs 1100 billion Karachi Package announced by the Prime Minister.

He said that the citizens of Karachi were complaining about the projects under the domains of provincial and district governments only.

In a talk show programme of a private news channel, the minister said that bidding were called for commencement of work on mega projects of Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) and Freight Corridor besides making time frame next week to launch Green Line Bus project in accordance with international standard and specification, between July and September next year. He told that the KCR was a long awaited project which would be completed at the approximate cost of Rs 300 billion in three years by the Railway on the orders of the Supreme Court.

To a question, Asad Umar said that coordinated strategy was required to address sewerage and flooding issues which involved mass level shifting of population, for which the feral government held marathon meetings with the provincial government. Public complaints were related to civic issues of Karachi city, which come under the domains of provincial and district governments, he added.