Delays by utilities in shifting infrastructure blamed for Red Line woes
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KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said that the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project faces hurdles due to the issue of relocating underground utility lines.
Speaking to the media during his visit to the site of the BRT Yellow Line project on Monday, he said PTCL and K-Electric had demanded millions of rupees for the transfer of utility lines, which had delayed progress.
He said the government was in constant contact with the institutions to resolve these issues and had directed the transport secretary to settle the current dispute with KE within 24 hours.
He said the provincial government, with the support of the World Bank, was working day and night on the Yellow Line project. Work on depots and other construction activities was in full swing, he added.
Mr Memon, who also holds the information and transport portfolios, also visited the bridge named after the late Senator Taj Haider, an important part of the Yellow Line in Karachi, to review the construction work.
Sharjeel says PTCL, KE demand millions for relocating underground lines; reviews construction of Senator Taj Haider Bridge
The Senator Taj Haider Bridge is in the final stages of completion. The government aims to complete this bridge within a week and open it to the public.
Secretary Transport Asad Zamin and project director of the BRT Yellow Line Zameer Abbasi were also present on the occasion.
Mr Memon said that after the inauguration of the Senator Taj Haider Bridge, Jam Sadiq Bridge would be demolished and rebuilt in a modern style. He explained that the new bridge would feature separate tracks for pedestrians, cyclists and motorcyclists to ensure safe and convenient facilities for citizens.
He said the Pakistan Peoples Party-led Sindh government was committed to providing modern travel facilities to the people of Karachi.
‘Pink scooters’
This week, “Pink Scooters” will be distributed free of cost exclusively to women to help them meet their travel needs more conveniently.
The senior minister added that a large fleet of double-decker buses and electric buses would also arrive in Karachi in the coming weeks.
He mentioned that during President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari’s recent visit to China, important meetings were held to discuss establishing manufacturing plants in Sindh for the production of electric and regular buses.
According to him, this step would not only improve travel facilities but also create local employment opportunities.
He further said that Chinese investors had shown strong interest in the Dhabeji Special Economic Zone, where new industries would be established, creating jobs for the youth.
President Zardari, during his China visit, particularly stressed the need to set up more industries to boost Pakistan’s economy and to train local manpower in China so they could secure employment opportunities.
He noted that during President Zardari’s visit to China, detailed discussions took place on expanding cooperation in energy, agriculture, and solid waste management. He described the visit as highly successful, adding that major projects in these sectors would soon be launched.
Commenting on the use of inappropriate language by a journalist from Punjab, he said such behaviour was regrettable. He noted that while policies may be debated, no one had the right to target an entire community.
Mr Memon emphasised that the priority right now should be helping flood victims rather than engaging in political disputes.
Criticising the federal government’s wheat policy, he said that if farmers had been provided with a support price, as suggested by President Zardari, the country would not be forced to spend billions of rupees on wheat imports.
He pointed out that Sindh still had 1.2 million tonnes of wheat, but the federal government was unwilling to purchase it from farmers at a fair price.
The senior minister stressed that Pakistan is an agricultural country and supporting farmers is the only way to strengthen the economy.
On the flood situation in Punjab, he said the scale of destruction could have been reduced with better planning, but inexperience had made the losses worse. By contrast, he said, Sindh managed the situation more effectively under the direct monitoring of the chief minister and the establishment of a control room, which helped limit the damage.
Published in Dawn, September 23rd, 2025
