FWO resumes work on Karachi’s Red Line BRT, says Murtaza Wahab

• Work on mixed traffic lanes handed over to FWO.
• Main corridor contract not awarded to any contractor yet: sources.
• Last contract terminated after concerns about delays.

KARACHI: The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has resumed construction work on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line Lot 2 on Karachi’s University Road, Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced on Sunday.

Wahab said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah set a 90-day deadline for completion of work on the mixed traffic corridor and drain.

“Happy to inform that work on the University Road has resumed from today by FWO,” Wahab said in a post on X, adding that the provincial government wanted the corridor and drainage works completed within three months.

Sources said work on the mixed traffic lanes of Red Line Lot 2 has been handed over to FWO, while the main corridor contract for Lot 2 has not yet been awarded to any contractor.

The development comes days after authorities cancelled the contract for Lot 2, which covers the Mosamiyat-Numaish corridor, citing persistent delays and unsatisfactory performance by the contractor.

TransKarachi had earlier said the decision followed concerns raised by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation over the pace and quality of work during a recent visit.

The delegation also expressed reservations over health, safety and environmental compliance, while officials said development work on the section failed to meet required standards.

Formal proceedings to finalise termination of the agreement were initiated, while district authorities separately sealed the contractor’s office linked to Lot 2.

Sources said ADB’s displeasure over the contractor’s performance during its visit last week helped pave the way for the government’s action.

Construction on Lot 2 — the larger and more troubled segment of the project — has faced recurring setbacks, including prolonged suspensions last year due to financial disputes between the contractor and authorities, which had required court intervention before payments were cleared.

Originally launched in 2022 with a 30-month completion target, the Red Line project was due for completion by June 2024, but repeated delays pushed the project well beyond deadline.

The project has been divided into Lot 1, from Airport signal to Mosamiyat, and Lot 2, from Mosamiyat to Numaish, with the latter suffering major execution problems.

Meanwhile, Karachi residents continue to bear the brunt of the stalled project, facing disrupted routes and heavy congestion on roads.