Karachi University Road to Be Completed in Two Months, Says Memon

Karachi's University Road, which has troubled commuters for more than four years, will be fully completed within the next two months, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon said on Sunday, September 27. He made the announcement while inaugurating the Mosamiyat Flyover, an important part of the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project that runs along the same road.

Sindh Minister Saeed Ghani and Karachi Deputy Mayor Salman Abdullah Murad were also present at the ceremony. Before the inauguration, Memon visited the Red Line corridor, where officials briefed him on the work still going on.

Memon said construction on University Road had reached its final stage and the problems faced by people travelling on it were now almost over. He also apologised to the residents of Karachi for the long delays in the project.

Flyover to Open After Formalities

The minister said the Mosamiyat Flyover would open for public traffic once the required formalities are completed. He gave estimates of one to two days, and some reports said the flyover was expected to open for vehicles from Tuesday. Its official opening to traffic had not been confirmed at the time of writing.

The flyover sits at one of the busiest points on the route, so its opening should reduce pressure on traffic there. Memon said work on BRT stations and other parts of the Red Line was also moving forward. However, he did not give any new date for when Red Line buses will actually start running.

How Much Work Is Left

Reports from the ceremony give slightly different details about the remaining work. According to PakWheels, the main unfinished part is a stretch of about 2.7 kilometres where pipelines for the K-IV water project are being laid, and Memon said this part needs around one more month. Another report quoted him as saying the remaining 2.5 kilometre stretch would be finished within one and a half months. His overall promise for the whole road is two months.

Memon explained that the construction contracts were signed for two years, but during that period the whole country was hit by high inflation. First the dollar rate went up, then cement became expensive, and then petrol prices rose. He said the government reached agreements with the relevant institutions and the work continued despite the higher costs.

He also said there was no bad intention behind the delays, and pointed out that government departments do not have proper master plans. Responding to criticism from MQM-P leader Wasim Akhtar, Memon said the Sindh government did not give importance to such statements and accused the MQM of political point scoring. He invited critics to visit University Road and see the progress for themselves.

A Project Full of Missed Deadlines

The Red Line BRT was announced in 2017 with an estimated cost of Rs79 billion. It is designed to run about 26 to 27 kilometres from Malir Halt to Numaish, with most of the route on University Road. Because of repeated delays, the estimated cost has now gone up to about Rs103 billion.

The project is mainly funded by the Asian Development Bank (ADB). According to The Express Tribune, the total cost is $503.3 million. The ADB is providing $235 million, while the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and the French Development Agency are giving about $71.8 million each. The Green Climate Fund is giving an $11.8 million grant and $37.2 million in loans, and the Sindh government is paying the remaining $75.7 million.

Construction started in early 2022. Officials first said the project would be ready in 2023, then moved the date to 2024, and later to the end of 2026. Contractors stopped work more than once, blaming rising costs, land problems, design changes and the slow shifting of underground utility lines.

In April this year, the Sindh government ended the contract of the main construction company, saying its work was too slow and that the ADB was also unhappy with progress. The contractor went to the Sindh High Court and argued that the government itself had caused the delays. The government then handed the rebuilding of University Road to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). At that time, Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah apologised to the people of Karachi and set a 90 day deadline to rebuild the damaged stretch. That deadline would have ended in late July, and the road is still not finished.

What It Means for Karachi Residents

University Road is one of the busiest roads in Karachi. It connects large residential areas with major universities and commercial areas. A 2024 report in Dawn said more than two million people, including students of six universities, were suffering because of the dug up road. Shops and businesses along the route have also faced years of dust, broken surfaces and closed lanes.

The Red Line is part of the Karachi Breeze plan, which aims to build five BRT lines covering about 112.9 kilometres. So far, only the Green Line and Orange Line are running. The Red Line is meant to run biogas buses on its own dedicated track, giving daily commuters a quicker and more reliable way to travel across the city.

For now, people using University Road can expect the new flyover to ease one major traffic point soon. But real relief will come only when the last stretch of road is finished and Red Line buses finally start running. After so many missed deadlines, Karachi residents will be watching closely to see whether this new two month target holds.