The Central Development Working Party (CDWP) has cleared for the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council (Ecnec) two major mass transit programs one for Karachi and the other for Peshawar. The moot approved a total of16 development projects costing Rs130 billion. The two projects (in Karachi and Peshawar) which are part of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) are expected to be formally approved on the sidelines of upcoming One Belt, One Road conference in China this month. Minister for Planning, Development and Reform Ahsan Iqbal presided over the CWDP meeting in Islamabad. The other projects are related to energy, transport and communication, water resources and manpower. Also, the moot approved concept clearance papers of two projects such as Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway (M6) worth Rs238bn and Sindh Renewable Energy Development Project (SREDP) $122 million. Four major projects of transport and communication sectors costing Rs.102 billion were recommended keeping in view the approval limits of the CDWP.The meeting which gave its nod on revival of Karachi Circular Railway (Rs27.6bn) asked the provincial government for rationalization of the cost. Also it would be ensured that the stations and other buildings to be constructed under the project matched the historical architecture of Karachi. Under the project, 43.2km double railway track would be constructed besides 24 stations. The meeting also approved Rs56.8bn for Peshawar Sustainable Bus Rapid Transit Corridor Project of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government. The project, planned to be constructed with Rs48bn loan from the ADB, envisaged construction of 25.8km-long road track, 32 stations with commercial buildings and other allied facilities. The project, planned to be executed in 12 months, is expected to facilitate 472,000 people per day in its initial phase. The meeting also approved Karachi Neighborhood Improvement Project (KNIP) worth Rs10.5bn, a four-lane bridge across River Indus connecting Kallur Kot Bhakkar with Dhakki area of Dera Ismail Khan costing Rs7bn, a 30-megwatt Hydro Power Project in Ghowari in Gilgit Baltistan costing Rs7.9bn besides six water related projects worth Rs6.6bn which include three small dams.
Tag Archives: Karachi
Hub Dam depleting its capacity
Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) has decided to strengthen Hub Dam, a major source of water for Sindh’s capital of Karachi and Balochistan. The authority is evaluating technical possibilities to save the slippages of precious water to meet the needs of Karachi and Lasbela, said a communicator from the authority. Chairman Lt. Gen. (R) Muzammil Hussain visited Hub Dam location and had a detailed round of the spillway and embankments of the project. WAPDA chairman said that Hub Dam, completed on Hub River in 1981, had significantly been contributing to fulfilling domestic and industrial water requirements of Karachi and part of Balochistan including Hub. . During his visit, the issue relating to receivables in the head of operation and maintenance (O&M) of Hub Dam was also discussed. Sindh gets 63.3 percent and Balochistan 36.7 percent from Hub Dam. At the time of its completion in 1981, the live water storage capacity of the reservoir was 0.76 m acre feet which have been reduced to 0.65 m acre feet due to natural phenomenon of sedimentation.
IEEE Int’l Conference on ICIEECT from April 5 – 7
The IEEE International Conference on Innovations in Electrical Engineering and Computational Technologies (ICIEECT) will be held 5th to 7th April 2017 by Indus University. The IEEE Karachi Section will provide technical sponsorship to the conference where as the Higher Education Commission Islamabad is providing the patronage to the event. A IEEE communication said the national and international researchers sent 107 manuscripts of which 63 have been accepted after a through peer review process by TPC through easychair. The Conference will be inaugurated by Chairman Pakistan Engineering Council and in the closing session Chairman PTA will be the chief guest. As many as 13 International keynote speakers have confirmed their participation for plenary talks and 26 National Speakers’ Technical Talks have been scheduled throughout from Pakistan whereas the maximum participation of Vice Chancellors, deans and directors, leaders Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry, FPCCI, civil bureaucracy, the HEC, PEC, NCEAC and NTC, K-Electric, electrical engineering companies, leading businessmen, electrical contractors and officials are also expected to participate the moot. The Chairman Pakistan Council for Science and Technology, the President and ECO Science Foundation have consented to be the guests of honor. The conference proceedings will be published on IEEEXplore and selected papers will appear in leading electrical engineering Journals. The organizers have invited sponsorships from relevant organizations. They include air tickets and accommodation of foreign speakers, lunch, dinner, Hi-Tea, publications and stationary, air tickets of national Speakers, prizes for the best papers, prizes for the best PhD proposal, prizes for the best technology posters, shields and certificates for authors and speakers and also for fashion show and Gala Dinner. In return, the conference management will provide the companies with free stalls, access to promotional material to all participants, display of standees, exhibitors space in Conference area, display of panaflex, company name and logo on bags and stationary material.