Malir Expressway Update: Your Fastest Route Through Karachi is Almost Here

Shahrah-e-Bhutto / Malir Expressway Latest Update

1. The Operational “Phase 1” (Qayyumabad to Quaidabad)

This is the most tangible success of the project so far. “Phase 1” of Shahra-e-Bhutto is a specific, 9.1-kilometer segment that was officially inaugurated and opened to the public in January 2025.

• Official Name: Upon opening, this first segment was officially named the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway.

• The Route: This segment creates a direct, high-speed link from the Qayyumabad Interchange (near DHA Phase 8 and Korangi Road) to the Jam Sadiq Bridge and Quaidabad. As of December 2025, this section is confirmed to be complete 100% and fully operational from Korangi Crossing/Jam Sadiq Bridge to the Badal Goth/Maimoon Goth area.

• The Impact: This route, which previously forced commuters onto congested local roads and could take anywhere from 30 to 45 minutes (or over an hour in rush hour), is now consistently covered in 8 to 10 minutes. With a 100 km/h speed limit, it is already serving thousands of vehicles daily and has provided immediate relief to commuters from areas like Korangi, Landhi, and Malir.

2. The Current Emergency: Sept 2025 Rain & Flood Damage

This is the most critical update on the expressway’s “current condition.” Around September 10, 2025, Karachi has been hit with a severe monsoon spell, causing the Malir River to flood.

• The Incident: Videos and news began circulating showing a section of the expressway’s pavement collapsing and being washed away by the powerful river floodwaters. This immediately raised public alarm about the project’s fundamental engineering and its vulnerability, given it is built on the river’s floodplain. The resulting work stoppage lasted for approximately one and a half months.

• The Official Clarification: In response, officials and the project’s spokesperson issued urgent statements. They clarified that the damaged section seen in the videos was not part of the completed, operational Phase 1. Instead, it was an incomplete segment of Phase 2 that was still under active construction. This specific part had not yet been fortified with the permanent, engineered stone pitching and retaining walls designed to protect the road from floods. Officials have stressed that the fully completed, operational Phase 1 track remains secure, undamaged, and open to traffic.

3. Advanced Progress on Phase 2 (The M-9 Link)

Recent on-site reports from December 2025 confirm that work has officially commenced on the Kathore Interchange (M-9 link), where security cameras have been installed and dedicated water passages are being constructed to prevent future flood damage. Following the flood-related delays, work has resumed with high speed and is now at a full-fledged, non-stop pace on Phase 2.

• The Route: This is the segment that fulfills the project’s main strategic goal. It runs from the end of Phase 1 at Quaidabad all the way to the M-9 Motorway (Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway) near the Kathore interchange.

• Key Structures: Updates from June/July 2025 show vast stretches of the 6-lane road already fully carpeted, with lane markings painted. Construction is actively underway on major structures, including the Razzaqabad Interchange (which serves Maimoon Goth) and the upcoming Dabba Goth Interchange. At the Quaidabad flyover section, construction accelerated significantly in mid-December 2025 with girders being placed on pillars (specifically G28) and floodlights installed to facilitate night shifts. A critical and complex part of this phase, the Murghi Khana bridge (which crosses a railway line), was reported as 90-95% complete. This phase includes the construction of several other interchanges and loops to connect the surrounding areas.

• Completion Target: Barring delays from the recent floods, the entire 39-km project is targeted for full completion and opening by late 2025 or early 2026. Despite the earlier delays, developers and political officials are now expressing strong confidence that the final phase will be fully completed and operational by December 2025, with a public inauguration expected as early as February 2026.

4. Project Design: A High-Speed Bypass for Shahrah-e-Faisal

• Engineering: It is a 6-lane (3 lanes in each direction), grade-separated highway. “Access-controlled” means it has no traffic signals, intersections, or local U-turns, allowing for a constant, high-speed flow of traffic, just like a national motorway.

• The Strategic Need: Its entire purpose is to provide a southern bypass for Karachi’s main artery, Shahrah-e-Faisal, which is permanently choked by a mix of local commuters, airport traffic, and heavy cargo vehicles. The expressway runs parallel to this corridor, separating fast-moving, long-distance traffic from local traffic. This design is intended to unclog Shahrah-e-Faisal and provide a reliable, fast route for logistics and commuters.

5. Full Scope, Economic Purpose, and Controversy

• Economic Purpose: The primary driver is logistics. The expressway creates a “signal-free corridor” for heavy cargo moving from Karachi’s Port (KPT) and the Korangi Industrial Area directly to the M-9 Motorway, from where it can access the rest of the country. This bypasses the entire city, saving fuel and time.

• Real Estate “Game-Changer”: The secondary purpose, heavily featured in update videos, is its impact on real estate. The expressway is the essential link making massive, distant housing societies like DHA City Karachi (DCK) and Bahria Town Karachi (BTK) viable. By cutting the commute from DHA Karachi (Phase 8) to DHA City from over an hour to an estimated 25-30 minutes, it fundamentally boosts the value and accessibility of these projects.

• The “Problems” (Controversies): The project has been highly controversial owing to the two major issues:

  1. Displacement: The project’s route runs along the Malir River bed, which required the displacement of dozens of decades-old settlements (goths), leading to significant protests and protracted legal battles.

  2. Environmental/Engineering: The recent floods have amplified the concerns of environmentalists who warned against building a major structure on a natural river floodplain. The damage to the incomplete section has become a focal point for critics, who question the project’s long-term sustainability against future floods, even as project officials defend its engineering. New concerns emerged in December 2025 near Mansehra Colony and Afghan Ground, where a ruptured Water Board pipeline created significant water accumulation, eroding the soil beneath the expressway’s foundation and creating cavities.

6. Future Development