KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon on Wednesday said the provincial government expects to complete construction of the main corridor of the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project on Karachi’s University Road by March, describing it as the most critical section due to heavy public movement.
Speaking to reporters in Karachi, Memon said efforts were focused on completing the central corridor where commuters face the greatest difficulties, while work on related infrastructure such as bridges, underpasses and U-turns would continue afterward.
He said the overall condition of University Road and surrounding areas had improved compared to the past, adding that visible damage in certain sections was due to ongoing development work.
Responding to criticism over construction delays, the minister said the Sindh government was not solely responsible, citing “serious issues at the national level,” including currency depreciation, which significantly increased project costs.
Memon said work on the Yellow Line BRT project would also begin soon, acknowledging that residents would face additional inconvenience once construction starts. He apologized to the public, saying the government was fully aware of the hardships but stressed that such projects were essential for the city’s future.
He said simply adding more buses without dedicated infrastructure would not address Karachi’s growing traffic and population pressures. “Once these projects are completed, not only the present generation but future generations will benefit,” he said.
The minister said Karachi remained a top priority for the Sindh government, adding that a large portion of the provincial budget was allocated to the city. He claimed Karachi had some of the most advanced government-run hospitals in the country, serving patients from across Pakistan.
Commenting on criticism from the Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P), which has accused the Sindh government of poor governance and demanded the chief minister’s resignation, Memon said development work was continuing across Karachi regardless of political demands.
He rejected claims that local governments were powerless, stating that an empowered local government system was already functioning in the city. On MQM-P’s demand to declare Karachi a federal territory, he said the party’s federal ministers should press the issue within the federal government if they were serious, adding that they were unlikely to do so.
Memon reiterated that Karachi’s development was a shared responsibility, stressing that progress in the port city was vital for Sindh and the country as a whole.
