In first phase, phase roads currently in use as alternative routes will be repaired
KARACHI:
The Frontier Works Organization (FWO) has begun work on a section of the BRT Red Line project.
After the contractor for Lot 2from Mosamiyat to Hasan Squarewas stopped from working and their office was sealed, this portion of the project was handed over to FWO who deployed machinery and staff at the site.
In the first phase, the FWO would repair the roads connected to the BRT project that are currently in the use as alternative routes for traffic. The organisation has also placed banners and panaflex signs along the Mosamiyat to Hasan Square section, apologising to the public for the inconvenience caused by the construction work.
While FWO is carrying out construction, drug addicts are reportedly damaging the project in broad daylight. Carrying bags on their shoulders, these individuals appear to be waste pickers, but in reality, they are cutting and stealing iron and wiring used in the project.
In the past, security guards were deployed to prevent such thefts, and it is expected that FWO would devise an effective strategy to curb these incidents.
Resumption of project brings
joy to citizens
After remaining a source of frustration for citizens for years, the Sindh government has finally resumed work on the long-delayed Red Line project in Karachi. The sight of heavy machinery and labour activity along University Road surprised and pleased residents.
The Red Line project, one of the largest development schemes in Karachi’s history, had turned into a major hardship for commuters. On Monday, a team from The Express Tribune visited the stretch from Numaish Chowrangi to Mosamiyat and observed active construction work for the first time in over four and a half years. Heavy machinery and a large workforce were seen operating simultaneously at multiple points. At New MA Jinnah Road, construction activity was visible with machinery and labour working side by side. Near New Town police station, road leveling was underway using heavy equipment, while workers were engaged in clearing debris. Cement barriers that were previously scattered across different pointscausing traffic disruptionwere also being removed and repositioned, improving traffic flow. Similar activity was observed near Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque, Mazaar-e-Quaid vicinity, and at Nipa Chowrangi, where drainage work was underway. Other sections of the route also showed visible construction progress.
The 24-kilometre-long Red Line project on University Road began in 2022 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2024. However, it faced repeated delays, negligence, and mismanagement, leaving the project stalled for years.
Speaking to The Express Tribune, citizens expressed hope that with work restarting, the project would now be completed within the promised timeframe.
