Karachi mayor fears Green, Red Line projects may drag till 2035

Murtaza Wahab criticises prolonged delays in completion of mass transit projects

Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab has criticised the prolonged delays in the completion of the Green Line and Red Line mass transit projects, warning that at the current pace, these initiatives may not be completed even by 2035.

The Red Line, launched in March 2022, was originally estimated to be completed within 30 months. However, after three years, the 26-kilometre project remains far from completion.

Co-financed by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank, the French Agency for Development, and the Green Climate Fund, the Red Line is designed to ferry passengers on a dedicated track between Model Colony and the Numaish intersection via University Road. The initial estimated cost of the project was $493.5 million.

Speaking to the media in Karachi on Friday, Wahab called on the Public Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL) to provide a clear timeline for the completion of both projects.

"Development work in the city should be managed locally. When the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation received a letter from PIDCL, it responded by asking for a definitive project completion timeline. Using a No Objection Certificate from 2017 in 2025 is simply unacceptable — at this rate, the project might not even be completed by 2035."

Highlighting ongoing challenges, the mayor said, “We faced serious issues on the Green Line route near Nagan Chowrangi and KDA Chowrangi. Now, citizens are experiencing similar hardships along University Road due to the Red Line project.”

Wahab stressed the urgent need to address damaged roads, broken footpaths, and incomplete civil works that have severely affected daily life in the city. He said Karachi residents continue to face hardships due to administrative delays and poor coordination.

He urged that local leadership be taken on board in all phases of construction and development, while reaffirming KMC’s commitment to safeguarding the interests of the citizens and ensuring that no development project comes at the cost of the city’s infrastructure or the public’s convenience.