Green Line Phase II embroiled in dispute
The most important mass transit project for the city, Green Line Phase II, has once again become mired in controversy after the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited's (PIDCL) attempt to resume construction work in August was disputed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) over its failure to present a No Objection Certificate (NOC).
Federal government spokesperson Barrister Raja Khaleeq Uz Zaman Ansari stated that halting the development work on the Green Line BRT Phase II by KMC was completely unjustified. "No legal requirements were fulfilled, no notice was served, and no court stay was obtained. Instead force was used through city wardens to stop the work. This is like the "law of the jungle", where the federal government is trying to work for Karachi's improvement," said Ansari.
According to Ansari, the federal government allocated Rs5.5 billion for Green Line Phase II, with the aim of resolving the transportation crisis in Karachi. "The PIDCL had informed all relevant institutions, including KMC, through a letter in July that it would begin development work from Taj Medical Complex to Municipal Park (1.8 km), with an expected completion date of June 2026," said Ansari.
However, KMC responded by asking for road carpeting, footpath repairs, and sewerage leak fixes at some locations to be done first. PIDCL assured that all necessary repairs during the project would be addressed, but KMC insisted these works be done beforehand and a fresh NOC be obtained. Raja Ansari claimed that for mega projects, NOCs were issued only once, and in this case had been issued in 2017. "Now, expensive machinery is standing idle at the site, causing the federal government to incur losses worth millions," said Ansari.
On the other hand, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, in a written statement and video clip last month, expressed deep concern over delays in the BRT project and the issues created by previous mistakes in infrastructure development. Wahab demanded that the PIDCL provide a clear timeline for the project, ensuring immediate restoration of any damaged infrastructure.
Citing past issues caused by the Green Line project at Nagan Chowrangi and KDA Chowrangi, Wahab claimed that although an NOC was issued in 2017, the project remained incomplete till date. Wahab emphasized that local governments should have control over development projects because ultimately, the public and media questioned the mayor and municipal authorities when things went wrong.
KMC, in response to PIDCL's letter, pointed out damages in the section from Numaish Chowrangi to Municipal Park, involving broken streetlights, damaged footpaths, and road issues, The body demanded that these damages be repaired first and a new timeline be provided. Wahab clarified that KMC had no objection to the project itself but believed that local leadership must be heard and involved in every phase to ensure transparency and sustainable development.
Conversely, regional planner Dr Syed Nawaz Al-Huda blamed both the Sindh government and the KMC for the city's ruin. "The Red Line project was also a nightmare for residents and is still far from completion. The federal government has the credit for completing Green Line Phase I, which is benefiting hundreds of thousands of people. Development work must immediately resume on Green Line Phase II," implored Dr Al-Huda.
A federal government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, opined that the federal government had performed much better than the Sindh government as far as development in Karachi was concerned. "The Green Line and Orange Line projects are clear examples, both of which were completed with the help of the federal government. It was expected that this project would be completed by June 2026, however, KMC stopped the work in September, breaking the momentum. Even if work resumes now, delays are likely," informed the official.