The National Assembly Standing Committee on Economic Affairs, chaired by Mirza Ikhtiar Baig, has recommended that the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) either complete the Lyari Elevated Expressway project on its own or execute it under a public-private partnership (PPP). The committee held a detailed discussion on the project and stressed the need for its early completion to alleviate traffic congestion caused by container movement in Karachi.
Cost Estimates and Briefings
During the meeting, National Highway Authority (NHA) officials briefed the committee that a South Korean company had estimated the project's cost at Rs164 billion, while the NHA's own estimate stood at Rs88 billion. The officials also noted that the Korean firm had proposed constructing the expressway using a steel bridge. However, KPT officials later informed the committee that the Korean side had revised the total cost estimate to Rs300 billion, while the NHA's latest estimate was approximately Rs120 billion.
Committee Chairman's Remarks
Committee Chairman Mirza Ikhtiar Baig described the Lyari Elevated Expressway as an extremely important project for Karachi, noting that container traffic moving through the city at night creates serious problems for residents. He stressed that the project should be completed as early as possible to mitigate these issues.
Funding and Implementation Options
The secretary for Economic Affairs informed the committee that the loan for the project was originally to be obtained by the KPT. He suggested that if the KPT is unable to execute the project independently, it should be completed either through a PPP or under the Public Sector Development Programme (PSDP). The committee's proposal aims to expedite the project and reduce the burden of container traffic on Karachi's roads.
