The construction work of the ‘Malir Halt- Numaish’ corridor, under the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project, is expected to start this month, Karachi Commissioner Navid Ahmed Shaikh was informed during a meeting that he was chairing on Tuesday.
During the meeting that was called to review the arrangements for the construction work, transport secretary Shariq Ahmed brought to attention that the project was cleared by the Executive Committee of the National Economic Council so that it had two corridors – one stretching across a length of 27 kilomteres from Malir Halt to Numaish and another between Numaish to Merewether Tower – and over Rs70 billion had been awarded for the scheme.
Secretary transport also notified that 16 stations would be built along the Malir Halt-Numaish’ corridor, which would run through Model Colony, Safoora Goth and Nipa, and pass by the Met Office, NED University of Engineering and Technology, Safari Park, Federal Urdu University of Science and Technology, Baitul Mukarram Mosque, Civic Centre, Askari park, Dawood University of Engineering and Technology and Society Office.
Sindh government had been making strenuous efforts improve traffic management and public transport in the city, said Karachi Commissioner while addressing the meeting.
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“The Red Line project will help government achieve its goal of providing better transport facilities to citizens and improve the city’s transport system,” he said. He also instructed the civil agencies to offer their full support to the ‘Malir Halt-Numaish’ project so that it completed timely.
The commissioner also formed a work group of the relevant civic agencies and ordered them to work in close coordination with the transport department.
The group comprises officials of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, Karachi Water and Sewerage Board, district municipal corporations, traffic police, Traffic Engineering Bureau and K-Electric.
To make sure that the construction of the Red Line Project did not cause any problems relating to traffic, the commissioner asked transport department officials to consult and schedule meetings with the traffic police and Traffic Engineering Bureau to address the issues of traffic congestion.
He emphasized that alternate routes should be provided for both, vehicular and pedestrian traffic, during the construction, in consultation with the Traffic Engineering Bureau and traffic police.