Malir Expressway is a 39.3 KM expressway under construction in Karachi that will offer an alternate route to connect the residents of Defence and Clifton through KPT Flyover to Karachi–Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) near Kathore, making access to Bahria Town and DHA City more convenient and time-saving.
The Project is being considered one of the biggest project under PPP provincial government. It includes a 6 lane dualized expressway along the Malir River serving as a new southern alternative route without the traffic and hustle of the city.
On completion, the Malir Express way will reduce the travel time from KPT Flyover to Karachi Hyderabad Motorway to just 25 minutes. It will benefit people from differnet areas of Karachi, but the most benefit will be for those who have to travel between DHA and Clifton to Bahria Town Karachi, DHA City or Hyderabad.
Project Details:
According to data that has been made available, the 39 KM Malir Expressway consists of 3 flyovers and 8 underpasses. After reservations the plan was also changed, making adjustment of routes and incorporating a 2 km elevated track near Sammo Goth.
There will be 6 interchanges for the project on the following proposed locations:
- Jam Sadiq Bridge – Qayyumabad
- EBM Causeway
- Korangi – Shah Faisal Colony Bridge
- Shahrah-e-Faisal (N-5) near Quaidabad
- Kathore on Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9)
Malir Expressway Map:
Malir Expressway is one of the major infrastructure developments in Karachi city, if you want to know the route of the project then you have to simply follow the route of Malir River in Google Map from KPT Interchange to Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway. This picture explains the route of the expressway:
Cost and Completion Date:
The initial cost of the project was estimated to be Rs27.5 billion but due to devaluation of Pakistani Rs. & inflation it is expected that on completion the cost will be quite higher. Initially the project was awarded with a contract budget of Rs 39 billion.
It is expected that part of the project will be inaugurated in Aug, 2023 and the remaining part of the project will be completed in 2024.
Public Private Partnership:
The project was initiated by Pakistan People’s Party provincial government in Sindh as a Public Private Partnership. It is an example of Design, Built, Finance, Operate & Maintain and Transfer (DBFOT) arrangement.
Under DBFOT the private party will construct the project in 3 years and then for 25 years will be responsible for maintenance and operations of the project. It also makes it entitled to levy and collect toll tax from the commuters of the project, generating billions in revenues. The rates and price for the ticket or toll price for the expressway is not revealed yet.
Criticism on Malir Expressway:
There has been criticism on the project from many citizens and civil society as they believe that the project is being constructed at a high cost with benefit for only a small segment of the society. It is being said that rather than investing Rs. 30 billion on betterment of roads in the city, education, health care and other facilities the huge amount is being used for a single project.
Malir Expressway has received many critical objections, especially due to the displacement of people from their homes and villages alongside the Malir River and the projected damage which the project has on Malir River, the only surviving river in the city.
But despite these criticism, the project construction was started, even before getting environmental impact assessment (EIA) report, in violation of Sindh Environmental Protection Act 2014.
