By Aziz Khatri
KARACHI: The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has resumed construction work on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line Lot 2 along University Road in Karachi, Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced on Sunday.
Wahab said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah had set a 90-day deadline for the completion of work on the mixed traffic corridor and drainage system. “Happy to inform that work on the University Road has resumed from today by FWO,” Wahab said in a post on X, adding that the provincial government was aiming to complete both the corridor and drainage works within three months.
According to sources, the work on the mixed traffic lanes of Red Line Lot 2 has been assigned to FWO, while the main corridor contract for the segment has yet to be awarded to any contractor. The development comes days after authorities cancelled the Lot 2 contract, which covers the Mosamiyat to Numaish corridor, citing persistent delays and unsatisfactory performance by the contractor.
TransKarachi had earlier stated that the decision followed concerns raised by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation over the pace and quality of work during a recent visit. The delegation also reportedly expressed reservations over health, safety and environmental compliance, while officials said construction had failed to meet required standards.
Formal proceedings were subsequently initiated to terminate the agreement, and district authorities separately sealed the contractor’s office linked to the project. Sources said the ADB’s concerns during its visit last week played a key role in accelerating government action.
Construction on Lot 2, widely regarded as the most troubled segment of the project, has faced repeated setbacks, including prolonged suspensions last year over financial disputes between the contractor and authorities. Those disputes had required court intervention before payments were cleared.
Originally launched in 2022 with a planned completion timeline of 30 months, the Red Line project was expected to finish by June 2024, but repeated delays have pushed it far beyond its original deadline.
The project is divided into Lot 1, from Airport signal to Mosamiyat, and Lot 2, from Mosamiyat to Numaish, with the latter facing the most severe execution challenges. Meanwhile, Karachi residents continue to experience the impact of the stalled works, including disrupted traffic routes and persistent congestion along key arteries of the city.
