The Sindh government has ordered the rapid completion of key construction work on Karachi’s long-delayed BRT Red Line project, giving authorities a strict 90-day deadline to restore major sections of University Road and ease traffic troubles for commuters.
The decision was approved during a cabinet meeting chaired by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, where officials endorsed emergency measure’s to accelerate work on the stalled transport project.
The cabinet also approved special off-budget funding for the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), which has been tasked with carrying out priority construction activities.
Under the new plan, FWO will complete mixed traffic lanes, underpasses, elevated structures and drainage work along the busy University Road corridor within three months. The organisation has already deployed machinery and workers at multiple locations to speed up progress.
Authorities moved to bring in FWO after terminating the previous contractor responsible for delays and failure to meet project requirements. The emergency arrangement covers the 12.85-kilometre Lot 2 section stretching from Numaish Chowrangi to Mosamiyat, one of the most congested parts of the city.
Residents have started witnessing visible construction activity after years of stalled work that had turned the Red Line project into a major source of frustration for Karachiites.
Heavy machinery, labour teams and road repair operations are now active at several locations, including New MA Jinnah Road, Nipa Chowrangi and areas near Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque.
The 24-kilometre BRT Red Line project, launched in 2022, was initially expected to be completed in 2024.
However, repeated delays, poor management and construction setbacks kept the project unfinished for years, severely affecting daily commuters across Karachi.
