Shahrah-i-Bhutto to open for public on May 23

KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said on Sunday that Shahrah-i-Bhutto would be opened for public use on May 23, after he visited the site to review ongoing work on the project.

During the visit, Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, the chief minister’s special assistant on investment and public-private partnership, and Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad were also present. Project officials briefed the delegation on the pace and status of work.

Speaking to the media, Memon, who also holds the transport portfolio, said the road was being developed under a public-private partnership arrangement. He added that Pakistan Peoples Party Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari would inaugurate the project on May 23.

Memon said the completion of Shahrah-i-Bhutto would make travel easier for residents, cut commuting time significantly and help reduce traffic congestion.

He also said that the groundbreaking ceremony for a bridge project connecting Karachi Port to Qayyumabad would be held on the same occasion. According to him, the bridge would shorten travel time from hours to a few minutes.

Officials review Red Line progress

Separately, the senior minister also visited the Bus Rapid Transit Red Line project, where TransKarachi Chief Executive Officer Zubair Channa, engineers, consultants and other relevant officials were present.

Red Line officials gave Memon a detailed briefing on the ongoing construction and the progress made so far. He said work on the mixed-traffic lane was continuing around the clock, while the Frontier Works Organisation was carrying out work on Lot 2 with speed and efficiency.

Memon said traffic movement on University Road had become a serious concern, but added that utility-related issues were being addressed in phases. He said utilities could not be relocated in a single day because doing so could affect millions of people, and noted that development work in densely populated areas also created multiple challenges.

He acknowledged that work at some points had taken longer than expected and said the government apologised for the delay. However, he added that the BRT project would serve as a long-term public facility that people would benefit from for years.

Memon further said that despite it being Sunday, the relevant authorities were present in the field and working on different projects. He added that inspections of the BRT Yellow Line and Shahrah-i-Bhutto were also under way.

LG minister calls project a major gift for Karachi

Local Government Minister Syed Nasir Hussain Shah said infrastructure was being upgraded and modernised across Sindh, including in Karachi. He described the Bhutto Highway as a major gift for the people of Karachi.