• CAA now wants entire scheme redesigned after 50pc of work is completed, says Sharjeel
• Announces early completion of Yellow Line

KARACHI: For Karachiites who have long been waiting for affordable and reliable transportation, there’s bad news: the completion of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project may take two more years to complete thanks to the objections raised by certain stakeholders including the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA).

Hundreds of thousands of commuters who travel along University Road will continue to endure hardship during their journeys on the damaged and broken roads until at least December 2026. The multi-billion BRT project is underway for the last three years.

The bad news was shared by Senior Sindh Minister for Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon, who was visibly irked when he mentioned the demands of the CAA and told reporters that he did not believe that the BRT Red Line project could be completed by December 2026.

“There are several issues which are needed to be fixed. We had December 2026 as a target in our mind [to complete the project]. But it looks quite tough and I don’t think it will be ready by then,” he told journalists during his visit to the construction site of the BRT Yellow Line.

He blamed the utilities, including power, gas and telecom which are being operated by the government and private companies, saying that they were taking too much time to move their infrastructures.

He said the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) had issued an NOC [no objection certificate], but now it had raised objections on one of the three components of the structures which could cause further delays in building RED Line structure.

“Drainage is one of the components. They had checked the design, discussed it with our team and then issued an NOC. Now after we have done almost 50 per cent work on that particular issue, they [CAA] have raised objections and are asking us to redesign the whole scheme. Is that some kind of joke? Things don’t move like this,” he said.

‘Yellow Line to be completed by May’

Regarding Yellow Line, Mr Memon said that the Sindh government was working tirelessly to provide maximum facilities to the public.

The Yellow Line BRT project was originally scheduled for completion in September 2025, but it will now be completed by May 2025, five months ahead of its schedule, he claimed.

The Yellow Line bus will operate from Dawood Chowrangi/Korangi 8000 Road to Shahrah-i-Quaideen up to Numaish intersection.

“CM Murad Ali Shah has issued directives to complete the tracks first at faster pace. So once these utilities’ issues are fixed, the development would happen at staggering pace,” the minister claimed.

The consultants gave a detailed briefing to the minister on the project, informing him about its progress, obstacles, and expected completion time.

Responding to a query about Green Line, he assured that fares would not be increased, but additional facilities would be introduced to provide better transport services to the public. Talking about bus procurement, Mr Memon urged the prime minister to fulfil his promise of providing 180 buses for Karachi, emphasising that it is the right of Karachi’s citizens.

He said that the prime minister should ensure better transport facilities for the people of Karachi.

Regarding special initiatives for women, he said that Pink Scooters were being provided to working women for free.

He said a Pink Taxi Service would be launched soon to offer safe and comfortable travel to women.

Published in Dawn, March 16th, 2025