• Rs100m allocated for K-IV; S-III gets Rs450m in next budget
• Rs8.288bn kept for nine ‘ongoing mega schemes’ in metropolis
• Murad mentions plan to bring 500 e-buses to Karachi
• Says Sindh govt provided Rs26bn to KMC in outgoing fiscal year

KARACHI: Although the Sindh government has been undertaking multiple infrastructure projects in Karachi for years, for the third consecutive year, it has not announced any new “mega development scheme” for the country’s commercial capital in the provincial budget for financial year 2025-26.

Budget documents show Karachi gets no new infrastructure development scheme in the head of “Mega Schemes for Karachi City” in the Annual Development Programme for 2025-26.

However, unlike the previous budget when the provincial government had allocated just Rs1.389 billion for 11 ongoing “mega schemes”, this time Rs8.288bn has been earmarked for nine “ongoing mega schemes” in the metropolis.

Of the Rs8.28bn, the biggest allocation of Rs1.89bn has been made for the construction of a junction at Shahrah-i-Bhutto & Korangi Causeway Bridge near Qayyumabad, followed by Rs1.5bn for construction of a bridge on Malir River at N-5 (Murghikhana) and Rs1.3bn for construction of the Korangi Causeway Bridge.

Remaining six ongoing “mega schemes” are rehabilitation of Nehr-i-Khayam (Rs922.05 million); construction of storm-water drain from M-9 to Thaddo Nalla via Mehran Drain (Rs847.6m); construction of a sports complex at the Bakhtiari Youth Centre (Rs666.08m); rehabilitation of the existing drain at Manzoor Colony (Rs508.9m); rehabilitation of main roads in Sachal Goth (Rs450.65m); and Rs158.68m has been allocated for construction of Allama Iqbal Park at Federal B Area.

KCR, S-III, K-IV get no mention in budget speech

The speech of Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, who presented the new budget in the provincial assembly on Friday as he also holds the portfolio of the finance department, did not even mention the long-delayed projects like Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), Greater Karachi Water Supply Scheme (K-IV) and Greater Karachi Sewerage Plan (S-III).

However, a close look at budget books reveals that the provincial government has allocated a sum of Rs450m for S-III project and a mere Rs100m for the K-IV (Phase-I, 260 MGD) in the next fiscal year.

The CM briefly mentioned some special initiatives in financial year 2025-26, including Rs12bn Karachi Urban Infrastructure Development.

However, the name of the specific projects and their allocations are yet to be disclosed.

Likewise, the CM also talked about a five million gallons per day desalination plant project without going into the specifics of its cost.

He stated: “First seawater desalination project to explore the potential of desalination as a solution to Karachi’s water shortage. It will be launched for investor solicitation in the calendar year of 2025.”

More buses for Karachi

The government also announced bringing in 500 more electric buses, exclusively for Karachi.

Speaking about the project, the CM said that 1,000 electric buses will be brought to the province “through a phased implementation plan”. He said that 500 electric buses are for Karachi, with their full integration expected to complete in financial year 2025-26.

He said that 100 new 12-meter electric buses have been ordered under an innovative rent-to-own model and the fleet will be operationalised by July.

He said the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) network was also progressing, with Yellow Line nearing completion and work on Red Line has been completed by 50pc.

About the local government system, the CM stated that in the out-going financial year the provincial government provided a grant of Rs148bn to local councils, includ-ing Rs26bn to the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation alone “in order to enable it to meet its operational expenditures and address the development requirements of the largest metropolis of Pakistan”.

Published in Dawn, June 14th, 2025