KARACHI: The completion of the Meena Bazaar underpass at Karimabad has been delayed once again, with construction work still ongoing more than two years after the project began.
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Authorities had earlier announced that the underpass would be opened in the first week of February 2026, but the deadline has passed while major portions of the project remain unfinished.
Construction activity is currently focused on shuttering work for the side walls along the track from Azizabad towards Musa Colony. Officials said that once the walls are completed, work will proceed on the roof structure, followed by road construction inside the underpass and final painting.
The roundabout above the underpass and adjoining roads are also incomplete, with residents observing slow progress at the site.
According to site supervisor Arbab, the project is expected to become the deepest underpass in Karachi. He noted that its narrow and relatively dark structure gives the construction an unusual appearance.
The 1.2-kilometre-long underpass was inaugurated in 2023 by the caretaker government and was initially scheduled for completion within 10 months, targeting an October 2024 opening. However, officials cited complications arising from underground water pipelines, sewerage systems, gas connections and electricity lines as key reasons behind repeated delays.
So far, at least five opening dates — including the most recent February 2026 deadline — have been missed. The prolonged construction has also led to a sharp increase in costs, with the project’s estimated expense doubling from Rs1.35 billion.
Local residents say that, given the current pace of work, the underpass is now unlikely to be completed before Eid.
