Ghotki-Kandhkot Bridge to be completed by June 2027: CM

KARACHI:

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah announced that the long-delayed Ghotki-Kandhkot road and bridge project will be completed by June 2027, with construction work already resumed.

Project was stopped after workers got threats from katcha dacoits.

Chairing the 49th meeting of the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Board at CM House, Shah approved a transparent timeline for the project and reviewed progress, cost escalation and security challenges.

The bridge, initially planned at 3 kilometres, has now been extended to 12.2 kilometres following recommendations of the Indus River Commission after the 2022 floods. The revised concession and EPC agreements were signed in 2023, raising the project's cost to Rs32 billion. While the official schedule sets completion for June 2029, Shah directed departments to ensure uninterrupted work and pledged to inaugurate the bridge himself in June 2027. "This is not just infrastructure but a promise to the people of Sindh," he said, calling the bridge a "new economic artery" for the province.

Officials briefed the meeting that despite law and order challenges in katcha areas, construction had advanced significantly, with piling 54% complete, shafts 49% and transoms 47%.

The PPP Board also approved the establishment of Pakistan's first plasma fractionation facility under the Sindh Blood Transfusion Authority. The flagship health project will locally produce plasma-derived medicines (PDMPs) such as albumin, immunoglobulins and coagulation factors for haemophilia, cancer treatment, bone marrow transplants, immune deficiencies, trauma and major surgeries — all currently imported.

The facility will be supported by plasma generated through the RBC project already running under PPP. Shah noted that the recently launched National Blood Transfusion and Blood Products Policy (2025-30) had created a favourable environment for international investment, with several global firms expressing interest in Karachi.