Concern voiced at deceleration in pace of work on Red Line, Green Line-II

KARACHI: After a brief period of activity on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) projects, the pace of work on both Red Line and second phase of Green Line is once again deadly slow, which is injustice to the Karachiites, said Altaf Shakoor here Sunday.

He said to the dismay of commuters, the work on the Green Line BRT is almost stopped and the same is the situation of the second phase of the Green Line BRT. He said both these BRTs are already behind their schedule of completion.

He said this is causing great difficulties for commuters as two busiest roads of Karachi, University Road and M. A. Jinnah Road, are badly affected due to prolonged delays in these BRT projects. He said when the funds for both the projects are released, why their pace of work is affected.

He asked if there are some issues between the contractors and ministers over alleged under table dealings, as being alleged by some quarters. He said the government and its bureaucracy should at least spare the public service projects, as they already have too many opportunities to earn money from other sectors.

He said the BRTs are vital for modern urban mobility in traffic-congested cities like Karachi, providing high-capacity, efficient transit that combines subway speed with bus flexibility at a fraction of rail costs. The BRTs reduce traffic congestion and emissions by shifting commuters to faster, reliable, and sustainable transport, improving overall urban quality of life. He said these projects also reduce travel times as their dedicated lanes and signal priority allow buses to bypass traffic congestion, significantly cutting commute times. He said BRT infrastructure is far cheaper to build and operate than rail systems, making it ideal for cities with constrained budgets. Moreover, by reducing reliance on private vehicles, BRT lowers air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions.

He said enhanced connectivity along transit corridors boosts property values, improves access to jobs and education, and stimulates local commercial activity. He said they also offer affordable, accessible transportation for diverse demographics, including commuters with disabilities.

Altaf Shakoor said it is strange that the development projects in Punjab and Islamabad are completed within weeks and months, but in Sindh they take years and decades. He said this is the difference of political thinking and governance, and sadly the province of Sindh lags behind in both sectors. He said the Sindh government doesn’t walk its talk but the Punjab government and ICT administration fulfil their promises.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026