Major Karachi infrastructure push: CM inaugurates Rs1.5bn Bhains Colony flyover

KARACHI: Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Saturday inaugurated the Bhains Colony Flyover, also known as the Khalid Bin Waleed Flyover, announcing a series of major infrastructure initiatives aimed at easing traffic congestion and accelerating development across Karachi.

The flyover is expected to significantly reduce traffic bottlenecks in District Malir, particularly around Bhains Colony and the Mehran Highway, while eliminating frequent accidents at the railway crossing. It will improve connectivity for residents of Malir and Ibrahim Hyderi, the Export Processing Zone, and commuters travelling between the National Highway (N-5) and Mehran Highway.

The Bhains Colony Flyover and associated road works were executed by the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation under the Competitive & Livable City of Karachi (CLICK) initiative, with support from the World Bank. The project was completed in a record five months for Rs1.865 billion. Although approved on July 21, 2025, physical construction began on September 21, 2025, and was fast-tracked to completion.

The inauguration ceremony was attended by Sindh Local Government Minister Nasir Hussain Shah, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, the chief minister’s special assistant Saleem Baloch, MPAs Raja Razzaq and Sadia Javed, and members of the national and provincial assemblies.

Addressing the gathering amid slogans in support of Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the chief minister said the new flyover would provide long-term relief to commuters and support economic activity by ensuring uninterrupted traffic flow between key industrial and commercial zones.

Outlining upcoming projects, CM Murad Ali Shah said Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab had been tasked with completing a flyover at Azimpura within 100 days. He added that Shahrah-e-Bhutto would be completed from Qayyumabad to Kathore within the next four to six weeks, with plans underway to extend it up to the port, where the foundation stone would be laid soon. He also noted that the Murghi Khana Bridge was in its final stages of construction.

The chief minister announced that development projects worth Rs300 billion would be included for Karachi in the upcoming provincial budget, adding that Rs8 billion to Rs13 billion had already been approved for KMC schemes to accelerate civic works across the city.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026