Green Line Phase-II delays cost Karachi Rs20 million a day

Delays in the expansion of Karachi’s Green Line Phase-II corridor project are resulting in a daily loss of Rs20 million.

Sindh Governor Kamran Khan Tessori chaired a meeting of the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL), during which the General Manager of Engineering and other officials briefed him on ongoing projects.

The project, a key infrastructure initiative under the federal government’s Karachi development plan, is considered critical to easing urban mobility in the city.

The briefing revealed that work on the Green Line expansion which had been suspended, is causing great financial loss, while various obstacles continue to delay the project’s completion.

The work on the Green Line Phase-II corridor project—stretching from Guru Mandir to Municipal Park— came to a halt in September, due to a dispute between the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) and the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL), a federal government entity.

The disagreement led Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab to order the suspension of ongoing development work, citing procedural violations.

Read: Federal govt says Green Line project halted over Karachi mayor–contractor row

The controversy deepened over the abrupt suspension as the federal government distanced itself from responsibility, stating, "The matter lies between the Karachi mayor and the contractor."

Clarifying, the federal government's spokesperson, Barrister Raja Ansari, said the issue stemmed from objections raised by the Karachi mayor over the contractor’s no-objection certificate (NOC).

The Governor expressed concern over the slow progress, taking serious notice of delays in PIDCL’s development projects. He requested a detailed report on all completed and ongoing schemes and directed that the obstacles causing the delays be removed immediately.

Tessori emphasised that all development projects undertaken in the public interest must be completed on schedule. He warned that any negligence would not be tolerated and instructed PIDCL officials to ensure transparency, quality, and timely execution.