From Correspondent

Hyderabad, Sindh

It transpired during a meeting here on Thursday April 18 that 115 people died and 317 were injured in 98 road accident since 2019 at Indus Highway.

Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah had convened a meeting at Shahbaz Hall to review the construction of the dual carriageway road from Jamshoro to Sehwan and the obstacles and tragic accidents happening on the road.

Speaking in the meeting, Chief Secretary said that the National Highway Authority (NHA) has delayed a lot in the construction of this road and the work could not be completed within the stipulated time. Expressing regret, he said that precious lives are being lost due to non-completion of the road.

Chief Secretary said that he was told that 115 people died and 317 were injured from 2019 till now, which is very sad.

In their briefing, NHA officials said that the dual carriageway will be completed by June 2024.

Deputy Inspector General Motorway Muhammad Saleem said that there are ten dangerous sharp turns in the Indus Highway, which cause ninety percent of accidents.

Chief Secretary Syed Asif Hyder Shah said that water flows should be taken care in the view of climate changes, culverts should be constructed in the carriageway and road should be constructed considering the rains of 2022.

Motorway police was directed to increase the number of patrolling police and establish a control room.

Secretary Local Government, Secretary Works and Services and other officials participated in the meeting.

Meanwhile, another meeting discussed the development work carried out in Hyderabad. Mayor Hyderabad Kashif Shoro briefed about the construction of Abdul Sattar Eidhi road and Autobhan road and said encroachment and high transmission line of HESCO is the big hindrance in the construction of roads. Chief Secretary directed the commissioner Hyderabad Ahsan Qureshi to make it convenient to remove those obstacles.

Read: Ill-Planned Amri Bridge over Indus River caused floods in 2022

Yet another meeting about restoration and beautification of shrine of Lal Shahbaz Qalandar was held. Chief Secretary Syed Asif Haider Shah said that pilgrims face a lot of difficulty in reaching the shrine during the annual fair. He directed to widen the roads and streets leading to the Dargah, remove the encroachment and restore the beauty of city. For this, the road leading from Bypass to Shrine should be widened and footpaths should be constructed. He said that parking of vehicles, renovation of bus stand and drainage schemes should be restored.

Chief Secretary said that the road from shrine to the fort should also be constructed. He gave strict instructions to the officials of the Auqaf Department and directed them to ensure arrangements for the pilgrims to visit the shrine.

Chief Secretary Sindh instructed Chairman Sehwan Municipal Committee to focus on tax collection in Sehwan.

SSP Jamshoro Tariq Ali told that a large number of pilgrims come during the fair, but the entry and exit points of the shrine are narrow and congested, which causes security problem. He suggested reconstruction of roads and streets, besides a new building of police station should also be constructed near the shrine.

Read: Plans to build a new bridge on Indus River between Hyderabad and Jamshoro

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The post Indus Highway: 115 People Died, 317 Injured in Accidents Since 2019 first appeared on Sindh Courier.

By Rehan Khan Khushik

Sehwan, Sindh

The Amri-Qazi Ahmed Bridge built over Indus River connecting Indus Highway to the National Highway, caused blockade of flood water in 2022.

The Indus River bed at this place is about 13km wide, while the length of bridge is 1.5km, which hindered the flood water causing severe damages.

“During 2010 high flood in River Indus, the river had 13km wide bed but after the construction of Amri Bridge, the river bed became narrow to 1.5 km which caused rise in water level during 2022 developing pressure on embankments on both left and right sides. It also created difficulties to discharge water from Manchhar Lake to River Indus,” Iqbal Ahmed Palijo, Additional Director Sindh Flood Emergency Rehabilitation Project told during a visit of World Bank Technical Mission on September 1, 2023.

“This bridge caused the water level raised in River Indus by two feet during high flood 2022,” he said.

The World Bank technical mission comprised of Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist, Mr. Juan Soler Cabado, Mr. Hendrik Arnold Vernoon, Bilal Khalid, Ms. Hina Lotia, and Aijaz Shaikh visited the Aral head regulator, Aral Tail and Danister Canal of Manchhar Lake, which covers the areas of Sehwan taluka in Jamshoro district and Johi taluka in Dadu district.

According to environmental experts this is dying lake as the lake has turned brackish due to release of toxic water through Main Nara Valley Drain.

The WB mission also observed the ongoing flood rehabilitation work at embankments of Manchhar Lake, relief cuts site at RD (Reduced Distance) 14 and 52 of Manchhar Lake. The relief cuts were given during 2022 flood.

World Bank technical mission inspected the Karampur Ring Bund constructed to protect 50000 population of historical city Karampur from floods.

Iqbal Ahmed Palijo briefed the WB team about rehabilitation work at Manchhar Lake and its components including the rehabilitation structure of Aral head regulator of Manchhar Lake.

He said that all flood rehabilitation works at Manchhar Lake will be completed by 30 September 2023.

Deputy Director SFERP Balram in his briefing said that 95 percent rehabilitation work of Danister tail regulator and Aral head regulators has been completed. He said that discharge capacity of Danister Canal was increased from 500 cusecs to 5000 cusecs.

The WB mission hoped the timely completion of rehabilitation of Manchhar Lake to ensure the protection from future floods.

“Discharge capacity was enhanced from 37000 cusecs to 82000 cusecs from Manchhar Lake to River Indus through three sources including Aral head regulator, Aral Tail and Danister Canal,” Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo, Senior Disaster Risk Management Specialist told.

“Karampur bund has also been rehabilitated near Sehwan as it was also used for travelling purpose by the local settlements and in 2022 flood when it was high flood in River, relief cuts were made at Manchhar Lake to reduce the losses of flood disaster,” said Ms. Amparo Samper Hiraldo.

“During 2022 high flood, Sehwan city was also under serious threat of flooding hence to protect Sehwan city, the 19 RDs of Aral left embankment have been rehabilitated,” Mr. Hendrik Arnold Vernoon WB mission member told this correspondent.

“With rehabilitation of Aral left embankment, Sehwan city and its surroundings settlements will remain safe in flood disasters in future from Hill torrents, Manchhar Lake water, and River Indus water as well,” Hendrik Arnold Vernoon said.

“Manchhar Lake has 1 million acre feet capacity to restore water while 0.16 million acre feet water can be discharged within 24 hours from Manchhar Lake and if there will be emergency situation, Manchhar Lake can be emptied between five to seven days through its upgraded Aral head regulator, Aral Tail and Danister Canal,” Mr. Juan Soler Cabado WB mission member told.

“Total 30km of Manchhar lake embankments were raised from 127 feet height to 129 feet height and its width was increased from 20 feet to 30 feet to protect the local settlements from inundating,” Iqbal Ahmed Palijo briefed the WB mission during visit to Aral head regulator structure of Manchhar lake.

“182km long embankments of flood protective bund stands in Sindh province and 169km in Balochistan province and resists the hills torrents of Khirthar Mountain Range to Sindh province,” Aijaz Shaikh irrigation expert WB said.

“With the completion of the rehabilitation work, the communities settled along the Manchhar Lake, their agriculture land, standing crops, livestock and other livelihoods, public infrastructures and available water resources in the area would be protected,” Social Safeguard Consultant Nasir Panhwar briefed.

“These benefits will ultimately manifest in protection and contribute to improvement in the lives of vulnerable people,” said Panhwar.

“Manchhar Lake was fresh water lake and it turned into brackish water due to disposal of saline water through Main Nara Valley Drain which has destroyed the boat culture and civilization of Manchhar Lake,” he said.

World Bank technical mission also met the local communities of fishermen at Manchhar near Bubak town.

Moula Bux Mallah chairman Manchhar Bachayo Ittehad hoped that with rehabilitation of Manchhar lake embankment, their settlements will remain safe from future floods.

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WB Mission Visit Photos by the Correspondent 

The post Ill-Planned Amri Bridge over Indus River caused floods in 2022 first appeared on Sindh Courier.

Builder Shahnawaz was kidnapped by 4 armed men from Gulstan-e-Johar along with his double cabin vehicle

Kidnappers fled leaving the abductee and vehicle when Motorway Police chased them near Petaro Toll Plaza at Indus Highway

Karachi: The Motorway Police Petaro Section rescued a builder at Indus Highway who was kidnapped from Karachi along with his vehicle on Friday.

Motorway Police Petaro DSP Faraz Hashim Bhatti was informed by Anti-Car Lifting Cell (ACLC) Karachi that a man named Shahnawaz, is a builder in Karachi, had been abducted along with his white double cabin car number KX 1507. Its location was reported from Jamshoro to Petaro on Indus Highway.

Receiving such a report, DSP Faraz Hashim Bhatti asked the patrolling vehicle of the area to reach Petaro Toll Plaza and directed to stop if any such vehicle is seen. “The contingent of Administrative Officers, accompanied by Inspector Hosh Mohammad Jatoi left for Petaro Toll Plaza himself arrived to oversee the operation,” a spokesman of Motorway Police South Zone said.

“After a while, a white double-cabin vehicle without number plate was signaled to stop, however the driver of the vehicle did not stop and drove off the Indus Highway. He was followed by the motorway police. Going a little farther into the bushes, the kidnappers left the vehicle with abductee and fled,” he said.

DSP Motorway Police Petaro sought details from the abducted person Shahnawaz Ahmed on which the abductee said that he was abducted by four persons from Gulistan-e-Jauhar Karachi at gunpoint. “They left me in the mud and fled,” he told.

The family of Shahnawaz Ahmed was informed that he was rescued and is safe. The Motorway Police handed over the vehicle to Jamshoro police station for further legal procedure.

District Police Jamshoro cordoned off the area and started searching for the kidnappers.

The Motorway Police rewarded the rescue team with certificates of appreciation. (PR)

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