appealed to the highest quarters though it is not known how this feat was to be achieved by those masterminding it. The work was entrusted to the National Highway Authority and the FWO (Frontier Works Organization) was appointed contractor for LEP (Lyari Expressway Project), and the NLC for the bypass. The alignment of the bypass was changed to make it shorter and its lanes were reduced to four to cut the cost." Displacement and resettlement The construction of the Lyari Expressway required the demolition of 15,000 housing units and the displacement of 24,400 families living along the Lyari River. This is thought to be the largest urban demolition project for the purpose of road-making in the world. To resettle the displaced people, the government launched the Lyari Expressway Resettlement Project. As part of this project, the people were given a compensation package that included an 80 square yard plot of land on the outskirts of Karachi and Rs 50,000 for construction. The lands were allotted in newly developed suburbs in Hawke's Bay, Taiser Town and Baldia Town. The demolished settlements along the Lyari River in most cases did not have all the utilities and were not planned constructions. The new suburbs at Hawke's Bay, Taiser Town and Baldia Town however have been planned with utilities, transport, schools, parks and roads.. An assessment made in a Dawn newspaper article describes the new sites as follows. "The exercise has offered a mixed bag to the people affected. The sites developed in Taiser Town, Hawke's Bay and Baldia are neat, clean and offer the advantage of an open environment. It is said that when the Hawke's Bay site for the Lyari affectees was launched in 2002 the displaced people were virtually dumped in the open with no water, electricity or gas. There were no regular bus services connecting it with the city. But visits last month present a different picture. Taiser Town and the Hawke's Bay sites appear well developed. They had electricity connection, sewage lines had been laid and homes had started receiving gas connections. The plantation — of course not enough to make the entire area lush green— was substantial by Karachi standards. Another positive aspect of life in the resettlement sites for those who are fortunate to get it is education. However it has not been easy sailing for everyone. There are not enough schools (and only one at the