Talking to journalists, President Musharraf said that this corridor was a mega project for the people of Karachi with enormous benefits. It will reduce travelling time and provide hassle-free commuting.
"This is a mega project and cost does not matter. This is a project to facilitate people who live in Karachi, providing hurdle-free and hassle-free travel from Site area via Nazimabad and Liaquatabad to Drigh Road in just eight to ten minutes," he added.
"I have lived here and I know that people used to spend 20 minutes at each signal. They had to bear all the hassle of travelling on these routes. This corridor will reduce travel time by at least one hour. This will save petrol as well as save the driver from anguish," he observed. President Musharraf appreciated the City Government for completing this long corridor with six flyovers and underpasses in just 8 months and 20 days.
"Earlier similar projects had taken five years. I congratulate them on accomplishing this task in such a record time," the President said.
"This is very efficient and this is also sign of the financial and economic progress in the country. I also want to congratulate Karachiites who will use this corridor," he said.
Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, Chief Minister Dr Arbab Ghulam Rahim, City Nazim Syed Mustafa Kamal and Naib Nazima Nasreen Jalil were also present on the occasion. Earlier, Nazim Mustafa Kamal said that the project was implemented in a record short span of time.
"We believe in serving people and this corridor passes from the areas where 60 to 70 percent of Karachi's population lives," he noted. He said this project is sufficient for next 25 to 50 years. Every underpass has water ducts at the beginning and in the middle to siphon off water through drains to Orangi Nullah and Gujjar Nullah.
In case of heavy rains and accumulation of water, the automatic motor will pump out water fast through drains, he added. Mustafa Kamal thanked the people of Karachi specially people living along the corridor for bearing with the inconveniences caused to them due to digging and traffic jams.
"I pay tributes to them for their exemplary support during this period. They have seen that their leadership has brought results," he noted.
ELEVATED EXPRESSWAY: President Pervez Musharraf also performed groundbreaking ceremony of 25-kilometre Karachi Elevated Expressway from Quaidabad to Jinnah Bridge - first Foreign Direct Investment of $350 million in history of Pakistan and another mega project of City District Government Karachi.
Speaking at the ceremony held at Sindh Governor House, the President said it was a unique foreign private-public partnership of $350 million with any district government in Pakistan.
The completion in three years of KEE on annuity basis by Malaysian IJM Corporation Berhad, which will also meet entire expenditure, would lead to economic revolution in Pakistan and enable Karachi to join in list of beautiful and most developed cities of the world.
President Musharraf said KEE will connect Karachi Port with Port Qasim, through National Highway, facilitate de-congestion of vehicular traffic with mega city of Karachi, provide easy, speedy access for airport from downtown, providing non-stop freeway bypass to two ports bound traffic. It would have six-entry, exit points at important locations throughout its 25 kilometres length.
City District Government Karachi has given the right of toll collection for KEE for 25 years and on expiry of this period, the project would be handed over to the CDGK.