Asian Development Bank approves $235mn loan for Karachi’s BRT

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has approved a loan of $235 million to help in developing Karachi Bus Rapid Transit Red Line project.

According to a press release by the ADB, the Karachi BRT Red Line Project will deliver the 26.6 kilometres BRT Line Red Line and its associated facilities. This will benefit as many as 1.5 million people, about 10% of Karachi’s population, the statement added.

The ADB added that it aims to develop a BRT in Karachi, which will enhance access to quality public transport for its people with its innovative energy and climate resilience features. “There is a need for a more sustainable, reliable, safe, and gender and environment-friendly transportation system in a city as dense and rapidly growing as Karachi," the press release quoted ADB Principal Urban Development Specialist (Transport) for Central and West Asia David Margonsztern.

"The project will restructure the entire width of the Red Line BRT corridor which includes the construction of 29 stations, dedicated lanes, improvement of the mixed-traffic roadway with up to six lanes in each direction, inclusion of on-street parking and landscaped green areas in various locations, improvement of the drainage system to climate-proof the corridor and installation of nonmotorised transport infrastructure such as bicycle lanes, improved sidewalks, and energy-efficient street lights," the statement further said.