Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Monday directed the provincial Public Private Partnership (PPP) Unit to open the New Link Road by July 25 and ensure completion of the Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway by December 2025.
The directives came during a high-level meeting held at the CM House in Karachi, where CM Murad reviewed progress on several critical infrastructure projects, including the New Link Road, Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway, and the Korangi Causeway Bridge near Qayyumabad.
According to a press release issued by the CM House, the New Link Road—designed to connect the National Highway (N-5) with the M-9 Motorway—is nearing completion. The project is being developed into a four-lane dual carriageway to replace the older, congested routes that have long obstructed industrial and commercial traffic.
“This project is set to transform connectivity for freight and commuter traffic between Port Qasim, Karachi’s industrial zones, and the broader national highway network,” CM Murad remarked.
Once completed, the 22-kilometre corridor will provide a direct, efficient link between the Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) and the N-5, significantly reducing travel time and facilitating cargo movement from Port Qasim to the motorway network and key provincial destinations.
The Rs3.53 billion project is being executed in collaboration with the National Highway Authority (NHA) and Frontier Works Organization (FWO). Notable progress has been made on the new interchange at kilometre 34+740 of the M-9. The interchange construction has been divided into three segments: Southbound, bridge over M-9, and Northbound. The Southbound section is expected to be completed by next month.
CM Murad instructed the PPP Unit to finish the Southbound portion in time for a formal opening on July 25. He also announced that the old link road would be permanently closed once the new route is opened to traffic.
Work on the bridge and Northbound sections began on April 24 and is progressing steadily. The CM directed that the full interchange be completed by October 2025 to further improve traffic flow on the M-9.
Meanwhile, the 39-kilometre Shahrah-e-Bhutto Expressway—an access-controlled, three-lane highway linking DHA to the M-9 near Kathore—is 82% complete. The expressway features six interchanges, toll plazas, and other modern amenities aimed at boosting traffic efficiency and industrial connectivity.
The segment from Qayyumabad to Quaidabad is 99% finished, while work on the Quaidabad-to-Kathore stretch has reached 65% completion. Interchanges at EBM, Shah Faisal, and Quaidabad are complete, with steady progress being made at Jam Sadiq and Memon Goth despite delays from utility relocation and concurrent Yellow Line corridor construction.
The Samo Goth elevated section—spanning 4 kilometres over the Malir riverbed to protect local villages—has achieved 48% physical progress since its launch in August 2024. Preparations for the Kathore Interchange on the M-9 are also underway, with the Finance Department having approved a competitive bidding process.
Progress is also underway on the Rs6.1 billion Korangi Causeway Bridge, which is 80% complete. The 26-meter wide structure is expected to be finished by November 2025. Administrative approval has been granted for the junction linking Shahrah-e-Bhutto with the Korangi Causeway, with tenders issued and construction set to begin by mid-August. Once operational, the current causeway road will be decommissioned.
CM Murad emphasized the transformative impact of these infrastructure projects, citing their role in reducing traffic congestion, stimulating economic growth, and enhancing Karachi’s overall connectivity. He reaffirmed the Sindh government’s commitment to completing these public-private partnership ventures on schedule to support sustainable urban development.
The meeting was attended by provincial ministers Sharjeel Memon, Nasir Shah, and Saeed Ghani, along with CM’s Principal Secretary Agha Wasif, Finance Secretary Fayaz Jatoi, Local Government Secretary Waseem Shamshad, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, Shahrah-e-Bhutto Project Director Niaz Soomro, Project Engineer Khalid Masroor, and other senior officials.
