Murad apologises over delays, says Karachi’s University Road will be rebuilt in 90 days

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced that Karachi’s University Road will be reconstructed within 90 days, while apologising to residents for the prolonged disruption linked to delays in the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project.

The announcement came amid mounting criticism and daily inconvenience for a large number of commuters using the city’s key artery. The Red Line is an Asian Development Bank-funded project, but the reconstruction of University Road will be carried out separately through the Sindh government’s own resources.

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, who accompanied the chief minister during his visit to the Red Line project site on Sunday, said the decision was taken in response to public complaints and the difficulties being faced by residents.

He said the provincial government had decided to undertake the road reconstruction independently and not as part of the Red Line scheme. According to the mayor, the plan is to rebuild the section of University Road used by regular traffic from Safoora Chowrangi to Numaish so that commuters can continue to use the route while work on the BRT project goes on.

Wahab said the scheme would include road construction as well as installation of a proper drainage system to help ensure smoother traffic movement.

CM reviews project progress

During his visit, the chief minister reviewed development work in the city and also inspected the BRT Red Line site. Speaking to the media, he apologised to citizens for the delay in construction activity on University Road and said the mixed-traffic lanes would be restored within three months.

He acknowledged the hardship caused to Karachi residents and said the government was committed to addressing public concerns and completing the work as early as possible.

Murad Ali Shah also announced that the tender for the main corridor of Red Line’s Lot 2 would be issued again. He said discussions had already taken place with the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), whose officials had assured him that construction work at the site would restart within two to three days.

The chief minister said the mixed traffic corridor stretches over around 12 kilometres and expressed hope that restoration work on the lanes would be completed within three months.

“The people have high expectations from the Sindh government,” he said.

He added that although the Lot Two contract had been awarded four years ago, the standard of work had not been satisfactory. Taking responsibility for the situation, the chief minister said the project would now be completed on time and added that construction would continue during the upcoming Eid holidays to speed up progress.

The development follows the Sindh government’s recent decision to cancel the contract of a firm working on the Red Line corridor from Mosamiyat to Numaish because of slow progress and unsatisfactory performance.

Days earlier, the chief minister had also expressed embarrassment over the inconvenience being caused to road users because of delays in completing the BRT Red Line along University Road.