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No New Contract Awarded for Karachi's Red Line Corridor, Sindh High Court Told
🇵🇰 Pakistan /Energy & Infrastructure

No New Contract Awarded for Karachi's Red Line Corridor, Sindh High Court Told

From Dawn · (8m ago) English Critical tone

Translated from English, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

TLDR

  • The Sindh High Court was informed that no new contract has been awarded for the Mosamiyat to Numaish corridor of Karachi's BRT Red Line.
  • The provincial government stated the contract will be awarded after the notice period for the previous firm expires, and that the project site was sealed because it was built on KMC land.
  • The court expressed annoyance over the project's inordinate delay, which is causing hardship to citizens, and sought a timeline for the completion of University Road construction.

The protracted delays and contractual disputes surrounding Karachi's Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project continue to plague the city, with the Sindh High Court now being drawn into the fray. On Wednesday, the court was apprised that no new contract has been awarded for the crucial Mosamiyat to Numaish section, a development that underscores the project's ongoing struggles.

the contract will be awarded after the completion of the notice period of the firm earlier granted the contract.

— Jawad DeroInforming the Sindh High Court about the status of the BRT Red Line contract.

Advocate General Jawad Dero informed the bench that the contract would be awarded only after the completion of the notice period for the firm previously granted the contract. He also clarified that the government had only authorized work related to drainage and road rehabilitation in the interim. This statement comes in the wake of the provincial government's recent decision to cancel the contract of AM Associates and CR 3 due to alleged lack of progress and unsatisfactory performance. The aggrieved firm, however, has petitioned the Sindh High Court, claiming their project site was sealed without lawful justification and contrary to contractual terms.

The court's patience appears to be wearing thin, particularly regarding the University Road construction, a major artery in the city. The bench, comprising Justice Muhammad Saleem Jessar and Justice Nasir Ahmed Bhanbhro, expressed significant annoyance at the inordinate delays, acknowledging the hardship faced by citizens. The suggestion to constitute a commission to ascertain the root causes of these delays highlights the judiciary's concern over the project's mismanagement.

the office of the contractors / petitioners were built on the land of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation.

— Jawad DeroProviding a reason for the sealing of the project site.

Adding another layer to the controversy, the petitioner's counsel suggested that the project might have been handed over to the Frontier Works Organisation (FWO). The Advocate General's assertion that the contractors' offices were built on Karachi Metropolitan Corporation land offers a justification for the sealing of the site, though the firm disputes this. With the project chief executive officer of Trans Karachi indicating a completion target of 2028, the court has demanded a clear timeline for the University Road works, signaling a firm intent to hold authorities accountable for the persistent delays.

the University Road was among the major arteries of the city and the people were suffering due to an inordinate delay in construction work on the subject project.

— Justice Nasir Ahmed BhanbhroExpressing concern over the delays in the BRT Red Line project.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Dawn in English. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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