KARACHI: As the city has been waiting for the start of the Green Line bus service for the last five years, the authorities on Tuesday announced launching the construction of Red Line — from Malir Halt to Numaish — this month.

A statement issued by the Karachi commissioner office after a meeting held to review the transport project suggested that arrangements for the launch of the Rs7 billion scheme’s construction had been finalised.

“A meeting held under the chairmanship of Commissioner Karachi Navid Ahmed Shaikh reviewed the arrangements for the work to start construction on the BRT Red Line Corridor project from Malir Halt to Numaish this month,” said the statement.

One corridor will run from Malir Halt to Numaish and the other up to Tower

“The transport secretary, Shariq Ahmed, briefed the meeting in detail about the project. He said that ECNEC had approved the BRT Red Line project comprising two corridors and allocated more than Rs7 billion for the construction, including a 27-kilometre corridor from Malir Halt to Numaish and the second corridor from Numaish to Tower.”

The meeting was also attended by the deputy commissioners of East, South and Malir, chief executive officer of Trans-Karachi, senior officials of the Mass Transit Authority, traffic police, Civil Aviation, KMC, DMCs, and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board.

“The meeting was told that the construction on Corridor One from Malir Halt to Numaish would be started expectedly this month for which arrangements had been finalised,” it said. “The meeting was also informed that 16 stations would be constructed on this line which will run from Malir Halt to Numaish via Model Colony, Safoora Goth, King Cottages, Met Office, NED University, Safari Park, Nipa, Urdu University, Masjid Baitul Mukarram, Civic Centre, Askari Park, Dawood University and Society Office.”

The Karachi commissioner, the statement added, told the meeting that the Sindh government was making all-out efforts to improve the traffic system in the city aimed at enhancing the quality of public transport and improving the traffic flow and reducing traffic congestion in the city.

“The Red Line project is part of BRT and it would help the government achieve its target of providing better transport facilities and improve the transport system,” said the statement quoting the commissioner of Karachi.

“The commissioner asked the civic agencies to extend all their support to the project so the project is completed timely. The commissioner formed a working group of the civic agencies to work in close coordination and cooperation with the transport department.”

The working group would have officials of the KMC, KWSB, DMCs, traffic police, Traffic Engineering Bureau and K-Electric, said the statement.

“The commissioner asked the transport department to consult and have meetings with the Traffic Engineering Bureau and Traffic Police to address the issues of traffic congestion and ensure that no traffic problems were faced due to the construction of the project,” it said.

“He stressed the need to provide alternative routes to the vehicular and pedestrian traffic during the construction with the consultation of TEB and Traffic Police.”

Published in Dawn, March 3rd, 2021