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Karachi: Governor Sindh Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan inaugurated double-storey underground car parking area and the recently renovated Baradari Park on Friday.
Administrator Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) Muhammad Hussain Syed, Municipal Commissioner KMC Matanat Ali Khan, Director Technical Services Altaf G. Memon, EDO Transport Ateeq Baig, senior journalist Ardeshir Cowasjee and other high officials were also present on the occasion.
Later talking to media, the governor expressed the hope that the problem of vehicle parking around the Bagh-e-Quaid-e-Azam (Polo Ground) would be solved with the opening of Baradari parking area and it would also bring improvement in the flow of traffic.
He said the citizens would get a wonderful park following the completion of renovation and rehabilitation work at the Baradari and the visitors would enjoy better facilities there.
The governor further said that the development works would be initiated at Polo Ground, Jahangir Park (Saddar) and Orangi Town Park in two to three weeks. A proper plan has been chalked out for Jahangir Park in Saddar, besides car parking facility would soon be completed at Shahabuddin Market near Empress Market and Saddar Car Parking Plaza would be made operational by declaring various roads of Saddar as no parking zones, he said, adding that the traffic plan for Nazimabad No.7 would be implemented by 10th of March.
While giving briefing on the project to the governor, Administrator KMC Muhammad Hussain Syed said that the area houses five-star hotels and thousands of offices and there exists serious traffic jam problems due to the parking of vehicles on the main roads and linking arteries.
The parking area has the capacity of 600 vehicles, as the double-storied underground area has been provided with all required facilities, including 16 CCTV cameras, 12 fixed cameras, security guards and elevator.
He further informed that the old Baradari Park, located over the car parking area, had also been restored to its original shape. He said that full and proper monitoring of all the vehicles parked in this underground parking area had been ensured, as the number plate of vehicle and photo of the vehicle and the driver would be directly saved by the cameras just after the entry of a vehicle and this record would be available for a month, he added.
He said that this project was solely sponsored by a local firm on BOT basis given on 30-year lease, adding, KMC did not make any expenditure on the construction of Baradari parking area.
The park was opened for public from Friday after its renovation and rehabilitation, as it is being considered an old and historical park where many important and famous personalities of the world were honoured with civic receptions and they used to visit this park. The calmness and importance of this park attract a good number of people to come and spend some time there during evening hours.
Muhammad Hussain further informed the governor that the work on Phase-II of Polo Ground was being initiated with the plan to install a musical fountain, costing Rs25million, at the centre of the park.
Later, Dr Ishrat Ul Ebad Khan went to the CCTV Camera Control Room and viewed the process of saving photos of vehicles and drivers after their entry into the Baradari parking area. He also inspected the restored Bara Dari Park and the facilities being provided to the visitors.
For more information, contact:
Sindh Governor House
Syed Wajahat Ali
Press Secretary to Governor
Tel: 99201217, 99201201-3
Email: press_secretary@governorsindh.gov.pk