KARACHI: Work on Phase-II of the Karachi Green Line Bus project is set to restart this week after being stalled for six years, officials confirmed on Sunday.
Federal government spokesperson for Sindh, Barrister Raja Ansari, told *The Express Tribune* that the extension, from Surjani Town to Jamia Cloth Market, will be completed within one year, by December 2026. The project aims to reduce hours-long congestion along key city routes, allowing commuters to traverse the stretch in minutes.
A formal announcement is expected on Monday at a joint press conference with Ansari, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, MQM-P leader Aminul Haque, and officials from the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Ltd (PIDCL).
Ansari explained that construction was previously delayed due to the mayor’s reservations regarding the issuance of the No Objection Certificate (NOC) for Phase-II. “I, along with PIDCL officials, met the mayor and resolved the matter amicably. The project is now back on track,” he said.
Phase-II covers a 1.8-kilometre dedicated corridor from Numaish Chowrangi to Municipal Park near Jamia Cloth Market, including three new bus stations, at an estimated cost of Rs5 billion. PIDCL, a federal subsidiary, will execute the work.
Currently, Phase-I operates 80 buses serving around 80,000 passengers daily. Upon completion of Phase-II, an additional 70 buses will be added, boosting daily ridership to over 110,000 commuters.
Ansari highlighted that while the Green Line project was launched in 2016, administrative hurdles delayed Phase-II. Coordinated efforts by the federal and Sindh governments, along with Mayor Wahab, have now cleared the way for construction to resume.
