KARACHI: The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has stopped the federal government-funded Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL) from carrying out work on the Green Line Phase-II project.
The Rs30 billion project involves the construction of a corridor from Guru Mandir to Municipal Park.
According to sources, the KMC barred the company from continuing work on the project, arguing that PIDCL had not obtained a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the corporation before starting construction.
PIDCL officials, however, rejected the claim, insisting that an NOC had already been obtained.
They argued that halting work in this manner was unjustified, adding that if KMC or the mayor had any objections, a formal letter should have been sent requesting the NOC.
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PIDCL further said it holds the NOC, issued on October 12, 2017, and signed by KMC’s superintendent engineer.
PIDCL offficials expressed strong displeasure at the suspension of a multi-billion-rupee development project for Karachi.
KMC officials, on the other hand, maintained that PIDCL lacked a valid NOC and that the mayor had ordered the company to be restrained from further work.
Sources said a meeting is expected between Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab and PIDCL CEO Waseem Bajwa along with GM Shafi Chachar to resolve the matter.
Meanwhile, the project contractor has suspended work at the site and withdrawn staff following KMC’s intervention.