Sindh sets 90-day deadline for Karachi University Road BRT project, approves off-budget funding for FWO

Cabinet OKs series of amendment bills related to higher education institutions

KARACHI:

The Sindh Cabinet on Thursday endorsed a 90-day deadline, set by Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah, for the completion of mixed traffic lanes, underpasses, and elevated structures along Karachi’s University Road, including off-budget funding for the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) to ensure rapid relief.

The development emerged during a cabinet meeting chaired by CM Murad, which approved important decisions spanning the JPMC–NICH law, centralised medical residency policy, TVET and university amendments, BRT Red Line revival, SBOSS handover, and fishing ban relief.

According to a statement issued by the Chief Minister's House, "In an effort to fast-track the long-delayed Karachi BRT Red Line Project, the cabinet approved a high-priority summary from the Transport and Mass Transit Department to accelerate construction on the Lot 2 corridor."

"Following termination of the previous joint venture contractor over persistent delays and non-compliance, the cabinet authorised emergency engagement of the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) under a direct contracting, government-to-government arrangement," it stated.

KARACHI (May 21, 2026) Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah presides over a meeting of the provincial cabinet at the CM House. pic.twitter.com/poD6YJsAby

— Sindh Chief Minister House (@SindhCMHouse) May 21, 2026

It further added that the direct award covered priority works on Lot 2, a 12.85-kilometre urban stretch from Numaish Chowrangi to Mosamiyat. "To ensure rapid relief along University Road, the cabinet endorsed a 90-day deadline, set by the chief minister, for the completion of mixed traffic lanes, underpasses, elevated structures, and the associated drainage network."

The cabinet also approved off-budget emergency funding to TransKarachi to enable quick financial mobilisation for FWO, which has already deployed personnel and heavy machinery to restore the corridor.

According to the statement, the cabinet also approved a series of amendment bills related to higher education institutions, expansion and establishment of new private university campuses within and outside Sindh.

The cabinet approved four major reform summaries, including legal and administrative changes submitted by the Universities and Boards Department aimed at strengthening governance in the education sector.

Approval for amendments to the Benazir Bhutto Shaheed Human Resource, Research and Development Board Act, expanding eligibility for the chairperson’s post to include industrialists, skills development experts, and public policy professionals, was also given during the meeting

The statement said that the Sindh Technical Education and Vocational Training Authority (STEVTA) Amendment Bill 2026 was approved, making registration mandatory for all public and private TVET institutions and introducing a strengthened quality assurance and governance framework.

Read: Karachi to get dedicated heavy transport terminal at Northern Bypass

Following approval, the chief minister directed that all four bills be forwarded to the provincial assembly for final approval.

The FWO began work on a section of the BRT Red Line project on April 29. After the contractor for Lot 2 -- from Mosamiyat to Hasan Square -- was stopped from working and their office was sealed, this portion of the project was handed over to FWO, who deployed machinery and staff at the site.

In the first phase, the FWO would repair the roads connected to the BRT project that are currently in use as alternative routes for traffic. The organisation has also placed banners and panaflex signs along the Mosamiyat to Hasan Square section, apologising to the public for the inconvenience caused by the construction work.

Read More: Part of BRT Red Line project given to FWO

After remaining a source of frustration for citizens for years, the Sindh government has finally resumed work on the long-delayed Red Line project in Karachi. The sight of heavy machinery and labour activity along University Road surprised and pleased residents.

The Red Line project, one of the largest development schemes in Karachi's history, had turned into a major hardship for commuters. On Monday, a team from The Express Tribune visited the stretch from Numaish Chowrangi to Mosamiyat and observed active construction work for the first time in over four and a half years. Heavy machinery and a large workforce were seen operating simultaneously at multiple points.

At New MA Jinnah Road, construction activity has been visible with machinery and labour working side by side. Near New Town police station, road levelling was underway using heavy equipment, while workers were engaged in clearing debris. Cement barriers that were previously scattered across different points, causing traffic disruption, were also being removed and repositioned, improving traffic flow.

Similar activity was observed near Bait-ul-Mukarram Mosque, Mazaar-e-Quaid vicinity, and at Nipa Chowrangi, where drainage work was underway. Other sections of the route also showed visible construction progress.

The 24-kilometre-long Red Line project on University Road began in 2022 and was originally scheduled for completion in 2024. However, it faced repeated delays, negligence, and mismanagement, leaving the project stalled for years.