SINDH, Pakistan
The Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) Board has approved taking control of the Green Line and Orange Line BRT systems. Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon chaired the 14th meeting of the Sindh Mass Transit Authority Board.
Sukkur Mayor Arsalan Islam Sheikh, Hyderabad Mayor Kashif Shoro, Transport Secretary Asad Zamin, SMTA Managing Director Kamal Dayo, Planning and Development Member Sikandar Sheikh, DIG Traffic Pir Muhammad Shah, consultants, and other key stakeholders participated in the meeting.
The meeting decided to send the documents related to the Green Line and Orange Line BRT agreements to the Law Department for legal validation. It also approved retaining the existing human resource structure for both the Green Line and Orange Line BRTs for three months, according to the official communication.
Sharjeel Memon, who chaired the meeting, emphasized that the Sindh government is committed to providing modern, high-quality travel facilities to the public. He added that the transfer of the Green Line and Orange Line BRTs would further improve the public transport system, and the Sindh government would continue to work on their further development.
Origins and Start of the Green Line & Orange Line BRTs
The Green Line BRT is part of Karachi’s plan to introduce modern public transport systems to ease congestion and provide an efficient mode of travel.
The project was initiated under the Karachi Strategic Development Plan 2020, which aimed to address the city’s transportation needs. Initially, it was a federal government initiative, funded and managed through the Federal Government and Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDCL). The project’s construction began in 2015 under the leadership of then-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, as part of efforts to modernize the city’s transport system.
The Green Line BRT was funded by the Chinese government in cooperation with Pakistan, as part of the broader China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) initiative.
The project started in 2016 and was intended to serve the northern part of Karachi, connecting areas like Keamari and Mohammadi to the city center.
The Green Line BRT is owned and operated by the Karachi Infrastructure Development Company Limited (KIDCL) under the Sindh Government, and its operations and maintenance are managed through public-private partnerships.
The Orange Line BRT was another key initiative to enhance Karachi’s public transport system.
The project was conceived as part of a larger effort to create a network of BRT corridors across the city. The Orange Line specifically targeted areas in the southern parts of Karachi.
Similar to the Green Line, the Orange Line BRT was part of the Sindh Government’s efforts to modernize urban transport, aiming to improve mobility in densely populated areas like Korangi, Landhi, and Malir.
The Orange Line project began construction in 2016 and was funded with Chinese investment as part of the CPEC agreement.
Ownership and management of the Orange Line BRT were entrusted to the Sindh Mass Transit Authority (SMTA) under the Sindh Government, and like the Green Line, its operations and maintenance might involve public-private partnerships.
KARACHI: Engineering Review Report
