KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday directed the local government (LG) department to ensure that the Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway is made fully operational by next month.

Chairing the 51st public-private partnership (PPP) policy board meeting, he also approved the installation and 25-year maintenance plan for solar-powered streetlights along a 4.5-kilometre elevated section at Sammo Goth to enhance public security and operational safety.

According to a statement issued by the CM House, the board reviewed progress on the Shahrah-i-Bhutto Expressway, a 39km high-speed corridor and was informed that it was currently 88.2 per cent complete.

The chief minister directed the LG department to ensure that the expressway is fully operational by April 2026.

PPP Board approves Kathore interchange design; new Sukkur-Rohri bridge over Indus River to benefit over 30,000 vehicles daily, meeting told

The board approved the award of a contract for the feasibility study and detailed design of the Kathore interchange, aimed at ensuring seamless connectivity at the expressway’s termination point.

New Sukkur-Rohri bridge

The chief minister approved the construction of a new bridge over the Indus River, linking Sukkur-Rohri and surrounding towns.

He said that the bridge would reduce traffic congestion on the existing Lansdowne Bridge and Sukkur Barrage, thereby improving regional connectivity and economic activity in the area.

He said that the project was expected to benefit over 30,000 vehicles daily and enhance access to essential services like healthcare and emergency response.

The meeting, held at CM House, was attended among others by LG Minister Nasir Shah, Home Minister Ziaul Hassan Lanjar, Special Assistant to the CM Syed Qasim Naveed and Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah.

The chief minister also approved major infrastructure projects and critical regulatory reforms aimed at fostering private sector investment.

The LG minister told the meeting that the Sukkur and Rohri form a closely integrated urban and economic corridor, with 70pc of residents of Rohri, Salehpat and Pano Aqil routinely using the Sukkur-Rohri link to travel to Sukkur for employment, education, health services and commercial activities.

He said that the main crossing was the Lansdowne Bridge, which was further supported by the Sukkur Barrage. “However, due to ongoing maintenance, the Sukkur Barrage will remain closed to public movement until at least 2027,” he told the meeting.

The CM said that a study conducted by his team revealed that more than 30,000 vehicles (cars, motorbikes, public transport, etc.) used the Lansdowne Bridge every day.

He said that due to its historic nature and ageing infrastructure, heavy traffic bound for adjoining cities and major corridors, such as the N-5 and M-5, was barred from using the bridge. To address frequent bottlenecks and ensure safe transport, the chief minister approved the project development facility (PDF) to engage transaction advisors for the construction of the New Sukkur-Rohri bridge project, to be undertaken by the LG department under the PPP modality.

The CM said the bridge would be a multi-lane, approximately 1.5km structure north of Bukkur Island, designed to support heavy commercial vehicles and include dedicated pedestrian walkways.

The board approved that bids exceeding or falling below the estimated bid value by more than 15pc would be treated as abnormal and rejected by the technical and financial evaluation committee.

The board also approved the procedure for managing unsolicited proposals under the PPP framework, introducing a structured mechanism for submission and evaluation of privately initiated infrastructure proposals.

Published in Dawn, March 19th, 2026