Valued at Rs. 3,006.690 million, 65% of the physical construction is already completed
Sindh CM Murad Ali Shah presents a birth certificate to one of the parents during the launch of Civil Registration Management System (CRMS) mobile application at CM House in Karachi on November 28. PHOTO: PPI
KARACHI:
Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah has officially set May 2026 as the final deadline for the completion of the Malir River Bridge.
The Chief Minister’s directive came following an assessment of the project’s progress by a specialized team of the Planning and Development Department (P&D), which also inspected the N-5 Murghi Khana bridge in Quaidabad to ensure regional connectivity standards were met. Previously, in December, the date set for the completion of the bridge was March 2026, but this has now been extended.
Technical reports submitted to the CM of Sindh reveal that the project, valued at Rs. 3,006.690 million, has 65% of the physical construction already completed. On the fiscal side, approximately 61.6% of the total budget has already been used. CM Shah stressed that while speed is of the essence, the “quality of development work remains paramount”, warning officials that no shortcuts will be tolerated as the project enters its final phases.
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To ensure the structural longevity of the bridge, the P&D team conducted non-destructive testing (NDT) on site to verify the strength of the concrete, along with rigorous measurement checks of beams and crossbars. The team reported that the current pace of work is satisfactory, although certain external obstacles remain.
Addressing logistical bottlenecks, the Sindh CM took note of the delays caused by changes in public services. He ordered that formal letters be issued to K-Electric to expedite the relocation of its infrastructure, which is currently hindering progress. Additionally, he ordered the immediate procurement and storage of gravel and aggregate base materials for the ramps, noting that a seamless supply chain is the only way to ensure the project stays on track for its 2026 opening.
In 2022, the traffic police applied for the bridge to be widened, the first bridge built over the Malir River in the city’s history. They sent a letter to the Karachi Commissionerate in this regard, stating that the National Highways Authority constructed the Malir Bridge in 1970. The bridge has two lanes on each side. To ensure smooth traffic flow and reduce travel times for citizens, it is necessary to widen the bridge from two to four lanes for the rapid flow of all vehicular traffic.
