Work on Karachi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project has again slowed to a near standstill, with large sections lying idle and little visible progress on the ground, raising fresh concerns over governance and project management.
The project has been divided into two main sections: Lot 1, stretching from Airport Signal to Mosamiyat, and Lot 2, from Mosamiyat to Numaish. Of the two, Lot 2 is not only larger in scale, but also plagued by more serious and recurring problems.
Last year, construction on this section remained suspended for several months due to financial disputes between the contractor and the authorities, which even led to court intervention before the payments were approved.
Despite official claims that the matter had been resolved, the pace of work has once again deteriorated significantly.
From the People’s Chowrangi, the absence of machinery at the site speaks of its state of inactivity. Moving along the route towards Hassan Square, it can be observed that only a handful of workers and about three machines, with no active operations going on.
Along the Hasan Square to Nipa stretch, work has been halted due to the laying of the K-IV water pipeline, adding another layer of delay to the already troubled project. Even where machines were present, none seemed operational, with no drivers or active construction visible.
The repeated shutdowns and lack of consistent progress on such a large urban transport initiative have raised serious questions about administrative efficiency and oversight.
Meanwhile, Karachi’s citizens continue to face the consequences of enduring disrupted routes, traffic jams and lingering uncertainty about the project’s completion.
