KARACHI: The Sindh High Court (SHC) has expressed severe displeasure over the prolonged delays in the BRT Red Line project, specifically Lot-2, and has directed the provincial government to submit a final completion date for the restoration of University Road. The orders were issued by a bench comprising Justice Saleem Jessar and Justice Nisar Ahmed Bhambro during a hearing regarding a petition filed by the contractor of Lot-2 against the sealing of their site.
Court Proceedings and Public Grievance The court remarked that University Road is a primary artery of the city, and its dilapidated state is causing immense hardship to millions of commuters daily. Advocate General Sindh, Jawad Dero, informed the court that the contract for Lot-2 has not yet been awarded to a new firm, and currently, work is limited to drainage and road restoration.
Legal Dispute Over Site Sealing Petitioner’s counsel, Barrister Salahuddin Ahmed, questioned the legal authority under which the police and Mukhtiarkar sealed the site. He noted that despite the seal, certain activities continue on-site and requested an additional week to complete the inventory of machinery.
Call for Accountability The bench stated it is not concerned with internal contractual disputes but with the public interest. The court even proposed forming a commission to investigate the reasons behind the persistent delays in the project. “We are not concerned with who the contractor is; we want to know when the work on University Road will be completed. The citizens cannot be left to suffer indefinitely,” the bench remarked.
The court has adjourned the hearing, seeking a clear timeline and progress report from the Sindh government and TransKarachi.
