KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday directed all implementation agencies to tighten coordination so the revised schedule of the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project could be met as any further slippage would directly hurt the millions of commuters in the city.

While presiding over a meeting to review the progress of Asian Development Bank-funded $1.139 billion five active projects in transport, education, health, social development, financial reforms, water and urban development, he said that mass transit projects like the Red Line were essential for Karachi’s future.

The chief minister said that any delays directly affected millions of commuters. “We must ensure that all executing agencies work in close coordination to meet revised timelines,” he added.

He said that the ADB was a key partner in the projects to boost mobility, health, education, housing and climate resilience, but faster execution and higher disbursement was needed.

The Red Line, launched in 2017, is a 27km corridor running from Malir Halt to Numaish via University Road. Its original cost was about Rs79bn, while construction began in early 2022 and was initially set for completion in 2023. However, a series of setbacks, including contractor disputes, safety stoppages, a depreciating rupee that raised material costs, land acquisition challenges, and the need to relocate numerous utilities, forced the deadline to be pushed first to 2024 and then to the end of 2026.

Earlier this year, work was halted for about two months due to rising budget pressures and utility relocation issues. The chief minister’s intervention helped remove several bottlenecks, allowing construction to resume, though a firm completion date remains uncertain.

Regarding other ADB-funded projects, the CM said that the schemes were critical for strengthening education and health services, supporting housing reconstruction, and enhancing climate resilience across the province. He said that timely execution and accelerated disbursement must remain our top priority.

Published in Dawn, December 25th, 2025