Mayor says new phase of uplift begins in Korangi industrial area

By KARACHI: A new phase of development has begun in Korangi Industrial Area, one of Karachi's major centres of economic and industrial activity. Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab visited the area and performed the groundbreaking of several infrastructure rehabilitation projects, including the construction of a road in Sector 23. Addressing a ceremony, he said the Sindh government had allocated Rs9.5 billion for the development of Karachi's industrial areas. The grant for Korangi Industrial Area has been increased from Rs1 billion to Rs2 billion, with the entire amount transferred in one instalment. He announced the deployment of police patrols and the installation of CCTV cameras along Shahrah-e-Bhutto to improve security. Wahab said that industrial zones and business activities were the backbone of Pakistan's economy and that rehabilitation work in Karachi's industrial areas had already begun. He maintained that the entire city of Karachi was a priority for both the Sindh government and the city administration. Reiterating the government's commitment to industrial development, he said approximately Rs9.5 billion had been allocated for Karachi's industrial areas, with funds provided for development projects across the megacity. The mayor said construction of the Baloch Colony Expressway had been completed and citizens were benefiting from it. Referring to a recent robbery incident on Shahrah-e-Bhutto, Wahab said he would take up the matter with the provincial interior minister for investigation. He said work was progressing rapidly on the loop connecting Shahrah-e-Bhutto to Ayesha Mosque, which was expected to be completed within three months. Once completed, the loop would enable signal-free traffic movement. The mayor also said a cemetery project in Korangi was under way, while construction of a link road alongside Shahrah-e-Bhutto was nearing completion. Work on the M-9 interchange was also in its final stages. Regarding the Red Line project, Wahab said lessons were being learned from past experiences. Chief Minister Sindh was personally monitoring progress, and improved coordination would be pursued to minimise inconvenience to commuters. KATI President Sheikh Umar Rehan welcomed the public-private partnership vision and the launch of development projects. Senator Abdul Haseeb Khan, the first Chief Executive Officer of KITE Limited, expressed hope that the government and the industrial sector would work together under the public-private partnership framework to resolve infrastructure-related issues and promote industrial development. Copyright Business Recorder, 2026