Karachi BRT Red Line section handed over to FWO after contractor removal

The Frontier Works Organisation (FWO) has taken over construction of a section of the BRT Red Line project after work by the previous contractor was halted and its office sealed.

According to a news report, the affected portion, covering the Mosamiyat to Hasan Square stretch, has now been handed to FWO, which has deployed machinery and staff at the site to resume progress.

In the initial phase, the organisation is focusing on repairing roads linked to the project that are currently being used as alternative routes for traffic.

FWO has also installed banners and panaflex signs along the corridor, informing commuters about the ongoing construction and apologising for the inconvenience.

Last week, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Memon said the provincial government had cancelled the construction contract for a key section of the Bus Rapid Transit Red Line project and would re-award the remaining work on an emergency basis.

He said the contract for the Mosamiyat–Numaish segment was terminated due to delays by the contractor despite repeated warnings to complete the project within the agreed timeline.

The BRT Red Line project, spanning around 27 kilometres from Malir Halt to Numaish, was announced in 2017 with an initial cost estimate of Rs79 billion. The cost has since increased to Rs103 billion due to delays and other factors.

Construction began in early 2022 and was initially scheduled for completion in 2023. The deadline was later revised to 2024 and subsequently extended to the end of 2026.