KARACHI: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Saturday inaugurated the first section of Malir Expressway, which has been re-named as Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Expressway.
Bilawal Bhutto drove his vehicle himself accompanying Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on the signal-free high-speed corridor, named after former prime minister Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.
The first phase of a three-lane access-controlled expressway, stretching 9.1 km, will be open to the public from Qayyumabad to Shah Faisal Interchange. A toll plaza would manage the traffic flow, charging Rs100 for cars and jeeps, and Rs200 for heavy vehicles.
The 39 km project, worth Rs 55 billion, will be fully operational by 2025. It will connect Korangi Creek Avenue (DHA) to the M-9 Motorway near Kathore, offering a significant reduction in travel time.
The expressway will include dedicated interchanges, providing seamless access to key residential and commercial areas along the route. The first section will feature a ramp to facilitate immediate traffic flow and will be complemented by a connecting flyover from Korangi, which is expected to be completed within two months.
Murad Ali Shah said the Sindh government provided Rs32 billion for the expressway, while, public-private partners, commercial banks, and Development financial institutions (DFI) have contributed Rs23 billion.
