Karachi, Caretaker Sindh Chief Minister, Justice (retd) Maqbool Baqar, in a recent meeting with the Works and Services Department at the Chief Minister House, urged the department to delve into the potential of plastic roads for the province, aligning their research with global standards and practices.
According to a news release by Chief Minister House, Sindh, the high-level meeting saw prominent officials in attendance, including Chief Secretary Dr. Fakhre Alam, Chairman P and D Shakil Mangnejio, PSCM Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Finance Kazim Jatoi, and Secretary Works and Service Nawaz Sohoo, among others.
During the briefing, Secretary Works Nawaz Sohoo shared insights on the Annual Development Plan (ADP) for 2023-24, highlighting 956 schemes allotted a budget of Rs 89,500.5 million. He further disclosed that Rs 39,026.73 million has already been released, with expenditures reaching Rs 18,089 million.
Addressing the progress of various development initiatives across Sindh, Sohoo presented a new inspection proforma aimed at capturing detailed progress insights. Responding, Justice Baqar directed the inclusion of new columns in the proforma, focusing on reasons for scheme/project revisions and the performance metrics of involved contractors and officials. The Chief Minister suggested enlisting a reputed engineering university’s services for third-party inspections of selected projects.
Highlighting his commitment to transparency and excellence, Justice Baqar emphasized the necessity of departmental actions against officers involved in corrupt practices and poor work on development projects. He further decreed that sub-standard work would not be tolerated, with the perpetrators being held accountable.
Amid discussions on project monitoring mechanisms, the Chief Minister underscored the importance of digital documentation for major development projects, including video recordings, which should be archived meticulously.
Delving deeper into the state of road and building projects in various Sindh districts, the Secretary apprised the Chief Minister of his observations from field visits. He pinpointed several discrepancies in project completion standards, such as missing milestones and poor road quality in certain areas. Following this, he relayed that corrective measures have been instituted, including departmental actions against negligent officials.
Considering evolving global road construction practices, the Chief Minister remarked on the increasing global trend of plastic roads. He thus directed the Works department to rigorously study the feasibility and benefits of this concept, comparing it with international best practices, and to present their findings for subsequent actions. Chief Minister House, Sindh, was identified as the source of this press release.