Citizens decry 'bad planning'on University Road

Residents, daily commuters say physical, mentally exhausted by disruptions

KARACHI:

Administrative negligence and sluggish project execution have rendered Karachi's University Road nearly unusable, compounding the misery of commuters already grappling with the long-delayed Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.

As part of the Water and Sewerage Improvement Project (WSIP), 96- and 72-inch diameter water pipelines are being laid from NIPA Chowrangi to Hassan Square - a stretch of approximately 2.7 kilometers. The work is expected to continue for two months, with officials indicating a completion deadline of December 30, 2025.

The pipeline installation runs parallel to the Red Line BRT corridor, which has already left University Road in a state of disrepair. Now, with the road partially closed for the next two months, residents say the situation has become unbearable.

In the first phase, pipelines will be laid between NIPA and the Federal Urdu University. However, citizens are voicing strong concerns over the lack of planning and coordination. "Launching such a massive project without first repairing or constructing alternative routes is sheer recklessness," said one commuter. "No one seems to care how we're supposed to navigate these broken, cratered roads every day."

Frustration is mounting among residents who say they are physically and mentally exhausted by the ongoing disruptions.