The Sindh government has approved the budget of PKR 8.5 billion for the Phase-II development of the 31.1-kilometer-long Coastal Highway Project.
The Phase II of the Coastal Highway Project runs from Buhara to the communities at the tail end at Keti Bundar, eventually reaching the Arabian Sea.
Haji Ali Hassan Zardari, a member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA), revealed that, following the government’s consent, tenders from interested businesses have been requested to hasten the project’s completion.
Moreover, he said that the initiative was first conceived in 2010, just a few months before the disastrous floods that devastated Sindh, causing significant destruction and casualties, particularly along the coastal belt.
?Work on Phase-I, which spans from Buhara to Hargenia Salt near Bhanbhore towards the National Highway, was finished after being put on hold for a few years. However, due to a variety of factors, Phase II?could not begin for several years.
The need for this coastal route emerged since the sea?was steadily eroding land and destroying fishermen’s settlements throughout the coastal strip between Zero Point in Badin and Ali Bundar. One of the project’s key goals is to help agriculture and revitalise the deltaic region’s failing fishing industry.
Furthermore, by providing fast and convenient transportation, the project will permit an adequate supply of drinkable water to the inhabitants of coastal villages.
MPA Zardari highlighted additional advantages of the Phase-II Coastal Route Project, stating that the coastal route will let rescuers?respond quickly in situations such as sea storms,?floods,?boat capsizing, and other crises. The rescued people might then be quickly brought to hospitals for life-saving care.
Besides, MPA Zardari also emphasised that the coastal highway project would significantly aid in tourism promotion, as both local and foreign tourists would have comfortable and quick access to several historical and heritage sites around the region. In addition, they will benefit from international-standard facilities that will be built in the near future.