KARACHI: The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has resumed construction work on Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line Lot 2 along University Road, Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced on Sunday.
Wahab said Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has set a 90-day deadline for completing work on the mixed traffic corridor and drainage system.
“Happy to inform that work on University Road has resumed today by FWO,” Wahab said in a post on X, adding that the provincial government aims to complete both the corridor and drainage works within three months.
According to sources, FWO has been assigned work on the mixed traffic lanes of Red Line Lot 2, while the main corridor contract for the segment has not yet been awarded.
The development comes after authorities recently cancelled the Lot 2 contract covering the Mosamiyat–Numaish corridor, citing delays and unsatisfactory performance by the previous contractor.
TransKarachi had earlier noted that the decision followed concerns raised by an Asian Development Bank (ADB) delegation regarding the pace and quality of construction during a site visit.
The delegation had also highlighted issues related to health, safety, and environmental compliance, with officials stating that the project had failed to meet required standards.
Following the decision, formal steps were taken to terminate the contract, and district authorities sealed the contractor’s office linked to the project.
Sources said ADB’s concerns over performance played a key role in the government’s action.
The Red Line project, launched in 2022 with an initial 30-month timeline, was scheduled for completion by June 2024 but has faced repeated delays due to financial disputes and construction setbacks.
Divided into two segments—Lot 1 from Airport Signal to Mosamiyat and Lot 2 from Mosamiyat to Numaish—the latter has experienced the most significant delays and implementation challenges, causing ongoing disruption for Karachi commuters.