Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has announced that the provincial government, with the support of the World Bank, will prepare a comprehensive transport master plan for Karachi to address the city's chronic commuting crisis.
The plan will include the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, metro light rail, and the revival of the Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), aiming to provide modern and sustainable transport facilities to citizens.
The announcement was made at a meeting held at the Chief Minister's House, attended by a high-level World Bank delegation led by Ibrahim Khalil Zeki, Transport Practice Manager for the Middle East, North Africa, and Pakistan. The delegation included lead transport economist Georges Bianco, senior transport specialists Frederico Ferreira, Papa Modou, Ms. Magali, and others. Provincial ministers Sharjeel Inam Memon and Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, P\&D Chairman Najam Shah, CM's Secretary Raheem Shaikh, and Transport Secretary Asad Zaman were also present.
Welcoming the delegation, the Chief Minister described the World Bank as an "important development partner" and said the cooperation would extend beyond the Yellow Line BRT. He noted that Karachi requires at least 15,000 buses to meet daily commuting needs and stressed that while BRT corridors are crucial, metro rail and circular railway projects are equally essential. He also highlighted the provincial government's introduction of electric buses as an environmentally significant initiative.
Ibrahim Khalil Zeki assured full technical and financial support from the World Bank for the master plan, which will cover BRT, metro rail, tourist and freight trains, and the KCR. He emphasized the need for establishing a transport industry in Karachi to meet both city-wide and national demands. In response, the Chief Minister offered land in Dhabeji for the industry and pledged full cooperation for investors.
The meeting decided to form a joint working group of the Sindh government and the World Bank to finalize terms of reference (TORs) for experts. The group will be formally notified through the Chief Secretary. Calling it "big news for Karachi," the CM said the partnership would provide a lasting solution to the city's transport challenges.
Discussing the Yellow Line BRT, CM Murad Shah said its completion, along with other corridor projects, would transform urban mobility in Karachi. Transport Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon briefed the meeting that the 21-kilometer-long corridor, stretching from Dawood Chowrangi to Khalid Bin Waleed Road, will feature 21 at-grade stations, 4 underpasses, 4 elevated stations, 8 flyovers, and 3 underground stations. Upon completion, the project will serve 300,000 passengers daily, with completion expected by December 2025.
He added that Depot 1 is 10% complete and Depot 2 is 17% complete, scheduled for completion by September 2026, while significant progress has been made on the Jam Sadiq Bridge section. Other packages, including corridor and off-corridor works, are currently under review or at the final design stage.
CM Murad Shah reiterated that the Yellow Line and upcoming projects would modernize Karachi's transport system and reaffirmed the government's commitment to timely completion with World Bank support, calling the initiative a "milestone in the journey toward sustainable urban mobility."
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