FWO takes over part of Karachi BRT Red Line project work

KARACHI: The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has started work on a section of Karachi’s Bus Rapid Transit Red Line project after the contractor for Lot 2, stretching from Mosamiyat to Hasan Square, was stopped from continuing and its office was sealed.

Following that development, the section was handed over to FWO, which has moved machinery and personnel to the site. In the initial phase, the organisation is set to repair roads linked to the Red Line scheme that are currently being used as alternate traffic routes.

FWO has also installed banners and panaflex signs along the Mosamiyat-to-Hasan Square stretch, apologising to the public for inconvenience caused by the construction activity.

At the same time, the project has reportedly been facing damage from drug addicts during daylight hours. These individuals appear to be waste pickers carrying bags on their shoulders, but are in fact cutting and stealing iron and wiring used in the project.

Previously, security guards had been deployed to prevent such theft. It is expected that FWO will put in place an effective plan to stop these incidents.

Work resumes after prolonged delays

After years of causing frustration for residents, work on the long-delayed Red Line project has now resumed, bringing relief and optimism to many citizens in Karachi.

The return of heavy machinery and labour activity along University Road surprised residents and commuters who had seen the project remain stalled for an extended period. On Monday, a team from The Express Tribune visited the route from Numaish Chowrangi to Mosamiyat and observed construction activity across multiple points for the first time in more than four and a half years.

At New M.A. Jinnah Road, machinery and workers were seen operating together. Near the New Town police station, heavy equipment was being used for road levelling while labourers cleared debris from the area. Cement barriers that had earlier been lying at various points and contributing to traffic disruption were also being removed and repositioned, which improved traffic movement.

Construction activity was also visible near Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque, in the vicinity of Mazar-e-Quaid, and at Nipa Chowrangi, where drainage work was under way. Other parts of the route were also showing visible signs of progress.

The Red Line project spans 24 kilometres on University Road. It began in 2022 and was originally due to be completed in 2024. However, repeated delays, negligence and mismanagement left the scheme stalled for years.

Citizens who spoke to The Express Tribune said they were hopeful that with work having restarted, the project would now be completed within the promised timeframe.