Rising project cost, falling rupee hit BRT Red Line construction, says Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI-Sindh Minister of Information, Transport and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, on Tuesday, said that the Sindh government was determined to complete BRT Red Line project at the earliest to solve issues of public transport in Karachi.
The minister, while talking to the media representatives during visit of under construction underpass of BRT Red Line project adjacent to Mazar-e-Quaid, said that work on 22 kilometre long BRT Red Line project from Tank Chowk Model Colony to Numaish Chowrangi was continued day and night. He said that Asian Development Bank was providing financial support for the project that was envisaged considering the population of Karachi city and it would cater the transportation needs of the metropolis for the next 60 to 70 years.
He said that on instructions of Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and former president Asif Ali Zardari work on transport projects has been geared up so that better transport facilities could be provided to citizens of Karachi at the earliest.
Sharjeel Memon, responding to a question about the delay in the project, said that shifting of utilities including electricity and gas takes time while inflation and consequently rise in project cost was also a reason of the delay.
The minister on a question about BRT Yellow Line said that documents of the project were shared with World Bank and tenders for Yellow Line project would be issued soon in consultation with World Bank. He on another query said that the People’s Party works for the welfare of the country and the nation by rejecting the politics of division. In the current economic situation, PPP leadership was determined to move forward with reconciliation and consultation so that we can serve the people better by solving their problems. Inflation has affected the entire world and Pakistan was no exception, he argued adding that the government was striving to provide facilities to the people and the announcement of support prices for wheat was also aimed at increasing wheat production and ensuring food security. 
To another question about the dissolution of Sindh Assembly, he said that a decision in this regard would be made according to constitutional provisions. 
Replying a query about consultation with the leader of the opposition in the Sindh Assembly the info minister said that he does not know the whereabouts of the opposition leader.



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