University Road has become a five-year ordeal for Karachi commuters, with the completion deadline for the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project now pushed to June 2027.

The project was launched in 2022 to improve public transport and was initially scheduled for completion in 2024. Authorities later shifted the deadline to 2025, then 2026, and have now extended it again.

Prolonged construction has left major sections of University Road damaged, with potholes, broken surfaces and repeated diversions causing severe congestion. Thousands of commuters, students and residents face lengthy delays, while businesses along the route have reported significant losses.

The Hasan Square-NIPA Chowrangi stretch remains among the worst affected areas. Traffic diversions have pushed vehicles onto already-damaged roads in Gulshan-e-Iqbal, while tankers parked around NIPA Chowrangi have further restricted traffic movement.

Construction near Metro has also reduced the road to a single lane, creating major bottlenecks. Students travelling to Karachi University and NED University regularly face heavy morning congestion, while a major hospital along the route adds to traffic pressure.

The damaged section near Shamama Shopping Centre creates another major bottleneck. During peak hours, journeys that normally take only a few minutes can stretch into hours.

Businesses have also borne the cost of the prolonged construction. Commercial areas around Safoora have seen restaurants and other establishments close or relocate because construction has reduced access for customers.

Residents say authorities launched the project without adequate planning and have repeatedly dug up and reconstructed sections of the same road. Dust, damaged surfaces and frequent diversions have made daily travel increasingly difficult for nearby communities.

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School van drivers have also reportedly stopped using some sections of University Road, creating additional difficulties for parents and students.

The planned Red Line corridor will stretch approximately 26 kilometres from Malir Halt to Numaish Chowrangi. Buses will carry around 50 to 70 passengers each, with the service expected to handle between 20,000 and 30,000 passengers daily.

Traffic police data cited in the report shows that University Road has among the lowest public transport coverage in Karachi, despite an estimated 1 million to 1.5 million vehicles using the artery each day. Around 2 million to 2.5 million people are estimated to travel along the road daily.

The extended timeline has raised concerns over whether a project designed to improve Karachi’s public transport system has instead imposed years of disruption on one of the city’s busiest arteries.

A TransKarachi consultant told The Express Tribune that authorities now expect the Red Line BRT project to be completed by June 2027. Drainage, service roads and road construction are expected to finish by October 2026.

The consultant said work on K-IV augmentation lines measuring 72 and 86 inches was underway between NIPA Chowrangi and Hasan Square.

The Karachi Water and Sewerage Services Improvement Project (KWSSIP) will formally inform TransKarachi once the work is complete, after which authorities will reconstruct the affected road.

The consultant said the augmentation work is expected to finish by December.