A major development regarding Karachi’s BRT Green Line bus project has surprised many.
According to reports, construction work on the extension from Numaish Chowrangi to Jama Cloth Market has been abruptly stopped. The project, once touted as a solution to ease public transport in the city, has left citizens worried after the suspension of work.
Several residents fear that if the project remains stalled, transport issues will worsen again, and the effectiveness of the BRT could be called into question.
Media reports say the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) has ordered the contractors working on the extension to halt construction on M.A. Jinnah Road and has also informed the Pakistan Infrastructure Development Company Limited (PIDCL) in writing.
Why Has the Work Been Stopped?
According to PIDCL officials, KMC had granted construction approval for M.A. Jinnah Road in 2017. PIDCL maintains that the No Objection Certificates (NOCs) issued for major projects are one-time permissions with no expiration date.
They added that before starting work on the approved BRT extension, all relevant authorities were notified in writing in July 2025.
On the other hand, Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab stated that while an NOC had been issued in 2017, work began seven years later. He said M.A. Jinnah Road is one of the city’s main arteries and commuters are being affected by the construction.
Planning should have been done in advance, he added, noting that the KMC had advised starting work only after a diversion or alternate road was built.
Background of the Karachi BRT Green Line
The Karachi BRT (Green Line Bus) project was launched by the federal government in 2016. Initially approved from Surjani Town to Tower, it was later revised to end at Jama Cloth Market on M.A. Jinnah Road. In 2021, it was completed up to Numaish Chowrangi and inaugurated at the end of that year.
Earlier this year, management of the Green Line was handed over to the Sindh government. After years of delays, construction on the remaining section had only resumed last month — but has now been halted once again.
