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Business Recorder
a day ago
- Politics
- Business Recorder
PDP criticises slow pace of work at Red Line BRT
KARACHI: Snail-paced work on Red Line BRT project is tormenting commuters as traffic jams on Main University Road have now become a daily life feature for hundreds of thousands of citizens, commuters and drivers using this busy artery, said Pasban Democratic Party (PDP) Chairman Altaf Shakoor here Sunday. He said that the project is being built with a foreign loan from the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank and its original completion date was December 31, 2025. Now they say that this project is likely to be completed by December 2026 but the slow pace of work shows that it would likely drag a few more years. He said our government is in the habit of delaying uplift projects to increase their costs, as the increased costs also result in increased commissions and kickbacks. He said the public transport sector in Karachi is in shambles, adding while Lahore is going to become a world class megacity in terms of modern commuting system; Karachi is still a backward city in this regard. He said both road and rail based public transport systems in Karachi are either neglected or marred with corruption and red tape. Altaf Shakoor said that for modern urban living, developing urban transport systems is a must. He said though Karachi well deserves an underground rail network but even its decades old surface rail system, Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), is non functional. He said the public transport sector in Karachi is placed at the bottom of the priority list of the Sindh government and the provincial transport department only issues colourful statements instead of focusing on solid progress. He requested the Sindh chief minister to pay a personal visit to the Red Line BRT and issue necessary orders to accelerate the work. He said the Green Line BRT is now handed over to the Sindh government but its extension to Tower is still a distant dream. He demanded starting work on the much delayed second phase of Green Line BRT and preferably extending it to Keamari. He said interlinking Green and Red Line BRT systems is also a must to facilitate commuters. Altaf Shakoor said that nearly 200 CNG buses imported by Mayor Niamatullah Khan and Mayor Mustafa Kamal are now parked in a junkyard. They are being rusted and their engines and other parts are being stolen. He demanded that these buses should be repaired and plied on roads. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
29-07-2025
- Business
- Business Recorder
Green Line BRT ridership soars after takeover by Sindh govt: Sharjeel
KARACHI: Following the transfer of the Green Line BRT from the federal government to the Sindh government, its daily ridership has seen a significant increase, rising from 52,000 to 72,000 over the past six months. In this regard, the 15th Board Meeting of the Mass Transit Authority was held under the chairmanship of Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon at his office in the Sindh Secretariat. During the meeting, it was decided to take comprehensive measures to increase the daily rider ship of the Green Line BRT to 150,000 passengers. The meeting was attended by Mayor Sukkur Arsalan Islam Sheikh, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, MD SMTA Kamal Dayo, and other senior officials. During the meeting, MD SMTA briefed the participants on the organization's performance and the ongoing urban transport projects. The SMTA Board approved the portfolio for the Annual Development Program for the year 2025–26 and issued directives for the immediate completion of these projects. The Board also approved the engagement of a non-fare revenue firm for the property management of the Green and Orange Line bus projects. Speaking on the occasion, Senior Minister of Sindh and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, said that following the handover of the Green Line from the federal government, the Sindh government has taken effective measures to operate the system more efficiently, the positive outcome of which is evident in the consistent increase in ridership. He stated that the integration of the Green Line and Orange Line has provided greater convenience to the public and significantly improved their daily commute. Sharjeel Memon added that the Sindh government is striving to make these projects financially self-sustainable through the adoption of non-fare revenue models. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Business Recorder
24-05-2025
- Automotive
- Business Recorder
Electric scooters to women: Sindh govt to hold ballot next month
KARACHI: The Sindh government has decided to hold a balloting next month to distribute electric scooters to women. In the first phase of the project, 1,000 women will receive electric scooters, and all necessary arrangements have been finalized. A high-level meeting was held in Karachi, chaired by Sindh Senior Minister and Provincial Minister for Information, Transport, and Mass Transit, Sharjeel Inam Memon, to review in detail the progress of major transport projects including EV taxis and EV scooters. Sharjeel Inam Memon said that EV taxis and scooters are not only a source of employment for the youth but will also play a vital role in enhancing women's mobility and improving the environment. He added that the government is striving to launch the EV taxi project alongside the distribution of EV scooters among women by June 2025. The meeting was attended by Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, MD SMTA Kamal Dayo, CEO Trans Karachi Fawad Ghaffar Soomro, Director Yellow Line Zameer Abbasi, and other officials. The Project Director of the Yellow Line informed the meeting that a key component of the Yellow Line BRT project, the Jam Sadiq Bridge, will be completed by June 2025, three months ahead of the scheduled timeline of September 2025. He also informed that work on Depot 1 and Depot 2 is moving at a fast pace, and both are being completed ahead of time. Speaking on the Red Line BRT project while briefing, the CEO of Trans Karachi said intensive work is now in progress on building depots, stations, and the biogas plant. Sharjeel Inam Memon asked all the concerned institutions to complete the projects timely and of high standards so that modern, safe and reliable transportation facilities can benefit citizens. He further added that the early execution of the Jam Sadiq Bridge is a good thing, but such pace should be kept on all other projects as well. In the meantime, he underlined the imperative need of at least 500 new buses to deal with the transport issues in rural and urban Sindh. The meeting also saw a thorough debate on the EV taxi and scooter projects. Sharjeel Inam Memon said that since taking over the management of the Green Line BRT project, its performance has improved significantly. Daily rider ship has increased from 50,000 to 61,000, reflecting public trust and the success of the Sindh government's policies. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
14-04-2025
- Business
- Express Tribune
Ahsan Iqbal urges Sindh to prioritise Karachi's infrastructure
Listen to article Planning Minister Ahsan Iqbal has urged the Sindh government to prioritise the development of Karachi's infrastructure, particularly the K-IV water supply project, calling the city Pakistan's economic and financial hub, Express News reported. Speaking to the media following a meeting with members of the Pakistan Business Council, Iqbal said the federal government is investing Rs125b into the K-IV project and expects the provincial government to fulfill its responsibilities regarding downstream components. He emphasised that Karachi, being the economic runway of Pakistan, must receive focused infrastructural support. 'The federal government has already approved Rs5b for road construction in the SITE industrial area,' he noted. Iqbal highlighted that the federal government will play an active role in enhancing Karachi's infrastructure, referencing the successful completion of the Green Line BRT project, which saw a Rs25b investment. During the briefing, he stressed the need to harness the potential of the corporate sector as the primary engine of economic growth. He explained that public sector capacity to attract investment has diminished due to ongoing crises, making the role of private enterprise more crucial. He further noted that the government has launched several initiatives to boost youth skills in the IT sector and intends to collaborate with the corporate sector to meet global environmental standards. He praised corporate efforts to support women and persons with disabilities, urging continued improvements in these areas. 'We will form a working group within the Planning Ministry to address private sector challenges on priority,' he added. 'The Pakistan Business Council has pledged its cooperation and its research continues to assist in shaping effective economic policies.' Iqbal reiterated that public-private partnerships would be key to activating unutilised government assets and land. Additionally, he confirmed that work on the Hyderabad-Sukkur Motorway will begin in 2025, with completion expected within three years. The Ministry of Communications has also started feasibility work for a new alignment of the Hyderabad-Karachi Motorway. Concluding his remarks, Iqbal called for wastewater recycling in Karachi, suggesting its reuse in agriculture and industry, which would help address the city's water needs sustainably.
Express Tribune
15-03-2025
- Politics
- Express Tribune
Yellow Line BRT completion set for May 2025, 5 Months ahead of deadline
Listen to article Senior Minister for Transport, Sharjeel Inam Memon, visited the ongoing construction work of the Yellow Line BRT project and inspected its progress. During the visit, the Secretary of the Transport Department, Asad Zaman, Yellow Line Project Director Zameer Abbasi, engineers, representatives from construction companies, and consultants were also present. The consultants briefed the Senior Minister on the project, highlighting the progress, obstacles, and the expected completion timeline. Sharjeel Inam Memon instructed that there should be no delays in the completion of the Yellow Line BRT, and it should be completed ahead of the deadline. He further emphasised that the project, which was initially set to complete by September 2025, will now be completed by May 2025—five months ahead of schedule. Speaking to the media, Sharjeel Inam Memon said that the Sindh government is working tirelessly to provide maximum convenience to the people, and the Yellow Line BRT is an advanced project being built for the citizens of Karachi. He acknowledged that utility-related challenges are common during construction but assured that the government is committed to overcoming these obstacles. Regarding the Red Line BRT project, he mentioned challenges due to civil aviation, the Water Board, and the K4 project, but assured that these issues would be resolved soon. He praised the Transport Department officials for their excellent performance and efforts to complete the projects on time. On the Green Line BRT, he confirmed that the fares would not be increased and additional facilities would be provided to improve the public's travel experience. Sharjeel Inam Memon also appealed to the Prime Minister to honour his commitment to provide 180 buses for Karachi, as this is the right of the city's citizens. He urged that the Prime Minister must fulfil this promise to ensure better travel facilities for Karachi's residents. As part of special initiatives for women, he announced that pink scooters would be provided for free to working women. Additionally, a pink taxi service would soon be introduced to offer safe and comfortable travel options for women. Furthermore, the Sindh government has launched the "I Work for Sindh" app and portal, which will provide employment opportunities for unemployed youth. Sharjeel Inam Memon concluded that all these projects are for the people of Karachi, and they will be completed on time to ensure modern travel facilities for the city.
