Karachi: In a decisive move to address escalating traffic and environmental issues in Karachi, Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah has ordered the expedited completion of the Malir Expressway, aiming for the first phase to open to traffic by next month. The directive was issued during a review meeting at the Chief Minister’s House, which focused on alleviating the city’s severe traffic congestion due to its growing population and economic activities.
According to Chief Minister Sindh, the meeting was attended by key officials including Minister for Planning and Development Nasir Hussain Shah, Chief Secretary Asif Haider Shah, and other senior secretaries and executives involved in the project. The Chief Minister highlighted the strategic importance of the Malir Expressway, which is intended to provide a vital alternative route connecting the city to major highways and reducing the load on existing roads.
The expressway, stretching 50 kilometers along the right bank of the Malir river from the KPT interchange near Qayyumabad to the M9 motorway at Kathor, is designed to ease the significant traffic pressure caused by commercial and heavy vehicles traveling to and from Karachi’s two major ports. The project includes the construction of three bridges and one underpass, enhancing connectivity and traffic flow across the city.
The Chief Minister was informed that the construction progress includes 85% completion of the first 15-kilometer section from Jam Sadiq Bridge to Quaidabad, and 35% of the second 38-kilometer section from Quaidabad to Kathor. He directed Planning and Development Minister Nasir Hussain Shah to personally oversee the completion of critical junctions like Quaidabad Bridge, Shah Faisal Interchange, and EBM Interchange, ensuring that the first segment of the expressway is operational by the deadline.
The initiative is part of a broader effort by the Sindh government to improve urban infrastructure to support Karachi’s role as a key economic hub, addressing not only traffic but also related environmental issues such as air and noise pollution caused by the dense vehicular activity.