Karachi’s Red Line Bus Transit (BRT) project, launched with global support, was set to transform the city’s public transport. Initially set to complete by June 2024, it now faces repeated delays with the new expected completion date being pushed to June 2026, and some speculating it could stretch as far as November 2027.
Why the hold-up? The project was stalled during Pakistan’s general elections in 2023, with the caretaker government halting work on the Red Line. Add to that the rising costs of construction materials and the challenge of working around underground utilities, and the timeline has been pushed further.
For Karachi’s commuters, it’s a daily struggle with the traffic chaos caused by construction on University Road, while residents and businesses in the area suffer the most. With concerns over the overall cost-effectiveness of the project, many are questioning if this expensive BRT system is the best solution for the city.
