Sharjeel wants work on Red Line project expedited

Sindh Senior Minister for Information and Transport Sharjeel Inam Memon has again issued a directive for promptly removing obstacles in the Red Line Bur Rapid Transit (BRT) project and expedite its progress.

Officials said a high-level meeting on the Red Line BRT project was held in Karachi, chaired by Memon. The meeting was attended by Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, Planning and Development Board Chairman Najam Shah, Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, Trans Karachi CEO Tariq Manzoor Chandio, Traffic DIG Ahmed Nawaz Cheema and others.

The meeting was also attended online by Asian Development Bank representative Lloyd Wright and international consultants. During the three-hour session, the participants discussed in detail the obstacles and immediate solutions to the issues facing the Red Line BRT project.

The meeting discussed delays in relocating utilities, including water supply lines and installations by the K-Electric, National Telecommunication Corporation and PakistanTelecommunication Company Limited.

It also reviewed the ongoing construction activities in Lot 1 and Lot 2, updating the progress with project contractors. Memon was briefed during a meeting by Trans Karachi CEO Tariq Manzoor Chandio about the hiccups in the project, particularly about the lack of adequate response from utility providers with regard to shifting of their installations.

The information minister set a strict deadline of five days for all stakeholders to address the issues and ensure smooth progress. He also directed officials to coordinate with Civil Aviation to commence work near the airport.

During the meeting, the infrastructure adjustments of K-IV and K-Electric were identified as major causes of the project's delays. Speaking on the sidelines of the meeting, Memon stated that further delays in the Red Line BRT project were unacceptable. "We must finish the work before the schedule," he said. For speeding up the construction works, he ordered that the work be continued in three shifts.

He also termed the Red Line BRT a flagship transport project for Karachi to revolutionise its transport system and provide modern, efficient and environment-friendly mass transit solutions. He added that, once finished, the Red Line BRT would provide easy travels to thousands of commuters daily.