By our correspondent
KARACHI: Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon has said there was no “ill intent” behind delays in the Red Line bus rapid transit project, insisting that financial pressures and contractual complications were the main reasons behind repeated setbacks.
Speaking in the Sindh Assembly, Memon said sharp fluctuations in the exchange rate, particularly the rising value of the US dollar, had significantly increased the cost of large-scale infrastructure schemes in Karachi. He argued that such volatility had placed added strain on project planning and execution, forcing repeated reassessments of budgets and timelines.
He said contractors had sought revised pricing to account for dollar-linked cost escalations, a development that, according to him, complicated the implementation of the project and contributed to delays. The government, he added, had been trying to balance timely completion with what he described as the responsible use of public funds.
Memon said the original contract for the Red Line project was eventually cancelled, after which discussions were initiated with the Frontier Works Organization to move the scheme forward under a revised framework. He maintained that the delays should not be interpreted as negligence or bad faith, but rather as part of broader efforts to manage financial constraints and restructure major urban development contracts.
Separately, the senior minister said the Shahrah-e-Bhutto project was scheduled for inauguration on 22 May, adding that it had not faced the same utility-related complications that had affected other transport schemes in Karachi.
His remarks come amid continued public scrutiny over the pace of Karachi’s infrastructure development, particularly the Red Line project, which has seen multiple revisions in both cost estimates and completion timelines.
