SSGC paid Rs 11.9 billion in advance to KMC, towns, and cantonment boards for permission to lay underground gas lines, sources
Special report Daily Dawn, Dawn TV report
The Sui Southern Gas Company (SSGC) has said that it has paid Rs 11.9 billion in advance to Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, town municipal corporations and cantonment boards for permission to lay underground gas lines, but most of the dug-up roads of the city are still in a dilapidated condition and no repair work has been done by the concerned civic bodies.
Sources say that the gas company made payments to KMC and TMC before cutting roads to lay the infrastructure of its distribution network, which was old and rusty, leading to massive gas leakage.
According to sources, details of payments made to KMC and TMC for cutting and rehabilitation of roads (a copy of which is available with Dawn) were sent to Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who blamed the gas company and TMC for the city’s dilapidated roads.
According to SSGC data, the highest amount (Rs 3.55 billion) was paid to TMC New Karachi, TMC Model Colony received the second highest amount of Rs 2.10 billion, while TMC Lyari was given Rs 1 billion.
TMC Jinnah was given Rs 737 million, TMC Malir Rs 625 million, TMC Saddar and TMC Chanesar Rs 26.26 million, and TMC Landhi Rs 21 million.
SSGC paid Rs 49 million to KMC for road cutting and rehabilitation works, with the lowest amount of Rs 227,000 being given to TMC Gulshan.
The gas company also made payments of Rs 51 million to Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Rs 166 million to Cantonment Board Korangi and over Rs 96 million to Cantonment Board Karachi.
The gas company spokesperson said that these payments towards road restoration charges were made with the aim of providing financial support to local government bodies for the restoration of roads and other infrastructure, which were affected during various stages of pipeline construction.
He added that SSGC made advance payments for road cutting/restoration/rehabilitation charges after obtaining written permission/NOC from each concerned civic body.
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