CM Murad informs the delegation that all obstacles to the project have been removed and the work will now be accelerated
The Sindh High Court is hearing a petition regarding the award of the contract for the construction of University Road to an unqualified private contractor. PHOTO: FILE
Ongoing development projects in Sindh with the support of the Asian Development Bank were reviewed by the ADB and the Sindh government, including the BRT Red Line, urban transport projects, infrastructure initiatives and climate resilience projects.
ADB Country Director Emma Fan met the Chief Minister at the Chief Minister’s House, accompanied by her delegation. Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon briefed the delegation about the resolution of issues affecting the Red Line project.
Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah said the ADB-supported projects were encouraging for the people of Sindh, describing the bank as a long-standing and reliable development partner of the provincial government. He reiterated that the Sindh government would continue its sustainable initiatives in the areas of transport, water supply, climate protection and infrastructure, and stressed that timely completion of projects remained the top priority of the government.
He assured the ADB delegation that all obstacles to the Red Line project had been removed and that work would now accelerate.
The foundation stone for phases one and two of the BRT project, which includes the procurement of buses and civil works, was laid in August 2022 and is expected to be completed by 2024. However, this completion timetable has now been extended to 2026.
The construction of the BRT line has been mired in controversy and criticism, as it resulted in the closure of one of Karachi’s main thoroughfares, University Road. The closure seriously affected traffic from Gulshan-e-Iqbal to Saddar. Vehicles are being diverted towards Shahrah-e-Faisal, Rashid Minhas Road via Aladdin Park and Liaquatabad Road, causing heavy traffic jams. Similarly, traffic from Shahrah-e-Faisal towards Central District and Gulshan-e-Iqbal now takes Stadium Road, leading to frequent traffic jams.
BRT Rede Line is a multi-million dollar project, priced at $503.3 million, of which the Asian Development Bank will provide $235 million, the Asian Infrastructure Development Bank will provide $71.81 million, the French Development Agency $71.81 million, while the Green Climate Fund will provide $11.8 million in grant and $37.2 million in loans; while the Sindh government will cover the remaining $75.71 million.
Read: Karachi commuters face traffic jams as University Road closed till end of year
The project involves 96- and 72-inch pipelines along the Red Line corridor, providing an additional 260 million gallons of water per day to Karachi and connecting the main K-IV filtration plants to the city’s existing network. The work is being carried out in phases along both lanes of University Road.
Residents have long endured sewer overflows, dust and narrowed lanes along University Road, forcing commuters and students to navigate traffic and sewage to reach their destinations.
Opposition parties have criticized the Sindh government. Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Karachi and Monem Zafar Khan called the city a “maze of broken roads and failed projects”, while PTI leaders accused authorities of corruption and mismanagement.
Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon briefed the delegation about the resolution of issues affecting the Red Line project.
Emma Fan said the ADB would continue its partnership on urban transport and development projects. She also confirmed that the AfDB would provide additional financing to ensure the timely completion of ongoing projects. The meeting agreed to strengthen safety measures for the BRT line.
Learn more: ADB, Sindh launch Rs440 million initiative
The progress made in Karachi’s TP-4 sewage treatment plant was reviewed. Murad Ali Shah termed TP-4 as a key project for Karachi and urged ADB to extend its support. The World Bank and ADB are working jointly with the Sindh government on this project.
According to the update issued by Abdul Rasheed Channa, media consultant to the Chief Minister’s Secretariat:
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The coastal development project is in the final stages of approval and is expected to be approved soon.
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Six additional projects from Sindh, worth $75 million, are also progressing through the approval process.
Transport Minister Sharjeel Memon briefed the delegation about the resolution of issues affecting the Red Line project.
Provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon and Jam Khan Shoro, chief secretary Asif Haider Shah, P&D president Najam Shah, principal secretary to CM Raheem Shaikh, transport secretary Asad Zamin and other officials attended the meeting. The ADB team included Deputy Country Director Asad Aleem, Program Officer Khayyam Suhail Abbasi and Project Officers Hamid Khan and Adnan Ali.
