Shahrah-e-Bhutto Karachi inauguration opens 39km signal-free corridor as Bilawal launches the next phase connecting Karachi Port

Karachi’s most ambitious road project is finally open. Bilawal Bhutto Zardari inaugurated the 39-kilometre signal-free Shahrah-e-Bhutto corridor on Friday, opening it for traffic from Qayyumabad all the way to the M-9 Motorway at Kathore Bridge. The Shahrah-e-Bhutto Karachi inauguration marks the completion of Phase III of the project, which took around four years to finish and cost approximately Rs. 65 billion. Moreover, Bilawal also laid the foundation stone for the next phase on the same day, connecting the corridor to Karachi Port.

Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah and other senior PPP leaders attended the ceremony in Karachi. Murad Ali Shah described the project as a major step toward improving traffic flow between Karachi and other parts of the country. Furthermore, he confirmed that the Qayyumabad-to-port section will move forward under a public-private partnership model at an estimated cost of Rs. 65 billion.

Bilawal used the occasion to highlight the PPP’s development record in Karachi. He called Shahrah-e-Bhutto an important infrastructure milestone for the city and pointed to several other major projects his party has delivered. The signal-free corridor addresses one of Karachi’s most persistent problems — the painful daily commute that costs millions of residents hours of productive time every week. Therefore, the opening carries real significance beyond the political ceremony surrounding it.

Phase II, also known as the Qayyumabad Corridor project, will link Karachi Port to the existing corridor under the public-private partnership framework. Therefore, once complete, the full route will create a continuous high-speed connection from the port all the way to the M-9 Motorway. Finally, for a city that has waited years for meaningful road infrastructure, Friday’s inauguration offers a glimpse of what Karachi’s urban mobility could eventually look like.