Shahrah-i-Bhutto to fully open by end of May, says Sharjeel Memon

KARACHI: The Sindh government will open Karachi’s Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway fully to the public by the end of May, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon said on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference in Karachi, Memon described the development as very good news for residents of the city and said the project would significantly reduce travel time. He said commuters entering Karachi would save at least an hour, while the route would also improve movement for those travelling out of the city.

The 39-kilometre Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway was reported to be 88.2 per cent complete as of March. Earlier this year, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah had directed the local government department to make sure the expressway becomes fully operational by April 2026.

Memon said the road, which has already been opened in phases, would directly link with the M-9 motorway by the end of the month. He said the expressway would improve traffic flow and public convenience.

We believe it will be a game changer in terms of traffic.

he said, adding that the project would mark a major step forward for commuters.

The minister also announced another road project that will connect Karachi Port with Taj Haider Bridge. He said the groundbreaking for that scheme was expected around the same time as the completion of Shahrah-i-Bhutto, give or take one or two days.

Connectivity will keep getting easier and from this connectivity, people will have a lot more travel convenience.

he said, calling the new road project a game changer as well.

The Sindh government of PPP has made lots of efforts with these projects to bring people as much convenience as possible.

he added.

Other infrastructure works

Memon said work was also under way on additional bridges, underpasses, roads and other infrastructure through the Karachi Municipal Corporation and local government departments. He said the provincial government’s foremost priority was to complete these schemes as quickly as possible.

He also spoke about difficulties faced in some major projects, particularly the Bus Rapid Transit Red Line on University Road, which has faced prolonged delays and recently saw its construction contract terminated.

On April 26, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had announced that the damaged University Road would be rebuilt within 90 days after the Frontier Works Organisation resumed work there.

Memon said the government had tried to complete the Red Line project quickly and with good intentions, but large urban schemes come with major challenges.

However many efforts we made to complete this project with good intentions and as quickly as possible, there are challenges.

he said.

With any big city projects, there are big challenges.

He said the government had tried to protect public funds during the process.

We tried with good intentions that government money be spared … all the delay was us trying to see how we could save the government’s funds, because that is public money.

According to Memon, the government held conferences, met the dispute board, challenged its decisions and negotiated, but the work was not progressing, which led to the contract being cancelled.

the work was not getting done.

he said.

He added that the Frontier Works Organisation was now working continuously on the project and said the immediate focus was to complete the mixed traffic lane.

The FWO is working on it day and night.

he said.

On the government’s side, or institution’s side, there was no ill will.

At the time the contract was terminated, Memon had told Dawn that the agreement was ended because of delays by the contractor in carrying out the project. He had also said the Asian Development Bank, which is financing the scheme, was dissatisfied with the pace of work, and that stakeholders had also raised concerns about environmental effects.

China visit and desalination project

Memon also referred to his visit to China last month with President Asif Zardari. He said one of the memoranda of understanding signed during the visit related to a desalination plant for Karachi.

He said access to clean drinking water remained a major issue for Karachi’s residents and noted that the proposed project would benefit many people. While desalination plants are costly, he said alternative sources of drinking water are needed as the city’s population continues to grow.

The minister also mentioned memoranda of understanding signed in the agriculture and livestock sectors. He said these were the only two pathways for Pakistan’s rural population when it came to earning a livelihood.

He described Pakistan’s relationship with China as longstanding and said the visit had been a great success.