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       KARACHI: In a significant move to enhance Karachi’s infrastructure, Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah on Wednesday announced the development of a new corridor along the Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Malir Expressway, also known as Shahrah-i-Bhutto, extending from Qayyumabad to Karachi Port.

       This initiative aims to facilitate efficient port traffic access to the motorway and is expected to be a game-changer for the country’s logistics and transportation network, the CM said while chairing a meeting at the Chief Minister House.

       “Apart from the link road, which connects the National Highway with the motorway, the new corridor along Shahrah-i-Bhutto from Qayyumabad to the port will cater to port traffic heading to the motorway,” he said.

       The chief minister shared that the entire Shahrah-i-Bhutto, from Korangi Causeway to Kathore, would be opened to the public by the end of Dec 2025. The link road connecting the National Highway to the motorway, which caters to industrial traffic from areas such as Port Qasim, Landhi and Korangi, will also be opened soon.

       Passageway from Qayyumabad will cater to port traffic heading to motorway

       He highlighted the urgency of constructing the critical stretch from Karachi Port to Qayyumabad, which will provide direct and seamless access to the motorway for port traffic.

       A private firm has reportedly submitted a proposal for the project under a design-finance-operate-transfer (DFOT) model. The proposal outlines a 16.5-kilometre road segment from Jam Sadiq Interchange to Karachi Port, including a 10.4-kilometre elevated section toward the port. The proposed construction will connect Qayyumabad to Boat Basin and further to Ziauddin Chowrangi and East Wharf.

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       In addition to the corridor plans, a traffic study has already been conducted in line with the chief minister’s earlier directives. He mentioned that Shahrah-i-Bhutto would serve as a main artery, equally feasible for heavy and light traffic, with interchanges designed to accommodate nearby residential areas.

       Reiterating the government’s commitment to improving Karachi’s infrastructure, CM Shah noted that work on the Red Line BRT infrastructure has been expedited, alongside redesign efforts for the Sohrab Goth roundabout, aimed at alleviating traffic congestion.

       He concluded by assuring the public that once these development projects are completed, they will not only enhance accessibility but also transform the overall look and functionality of the city, ultimately benefiting its residents.

       Local Government Minister Saeed Ghani, Karachi Mayor Barrister Murtaza Wahab, Special Assistant to the CM on Investment Qasim Naveed, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, Chairman P&D Board Najam Shah, Karachi Commissioner Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Local Government Waseem Shamshad, Secretary Transport Asad Zamin, Project Director Niaz Soomro and other officials attended the meeting.

       Reviews digitisation of land revenue records

       CM Murad Ali Shah directed the Board of Revenue (BoR) to integrate the e-mutation system with the e-registration system and expedite progress on the e-transfer system to improve service delivery.

       He issued these directives while chairing a meeting of the Land Administration and Revenue Management Information System (Larmis) at CM House on Wednesday.

       He said that Larmis was established to provide citizens with computerised access to land records and related services throughout the province. With 27 dedicated People’s Service Centres (PSCs) across all district headquarters and a comprehensive online platform via the Board of Revenue’s official website, the system ensures easy access to vital land information.

       During the briefing, the CM was informed that modern IT infrastructure supports daily operations, while a state-of-the-art data centre located at Revenue House, Clifton, serves as the central repository for digitised land records. Moreover, a Disaster Recovery Centre (DRC) in Hyderabad guarantees service continuity during emergencies.

       The digitisation process, which commenced in 2010 with the scanning of old records from 1985 to 2010, secures Forms VII-A, VII-B and Form II collected from all Mukhtiarkar offices. Continuous scanning and indexing of post-2010 records at the Provincial Record Centre (PRC) in Hyderabad ensure ongoing public accessibility through integrated networks. Larmis has further expanded its capabilities by offering digital access to government offices and statutory bodies for land title verification, the CM was told.

       The introduction of e-registration services at PSCs has enhanced service delivery, with plans underway to integrate an e-mutation system.

       Launched in Feb 2024, the e-registration system currently operates across 51 sub-registrar offices, facilitating registration services through PSCs. By July 2025, over 100,000 documents and deeds had been successfully registered through this system.

       Furthermore, the Board of Revenue Sindh is collaborating with Sukkur IBA University on the development of an e-transfer of property system. This initiative aims to secure revenue records through blockchain technology, thereby making property transactions more transparent and user-friendly.

       The meeting was attended by Karachi Mayor Murtaza Wahab, Chief Secretary Asif Hyder Shah, PSCM Agha Wasif, Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi, Secretary Local Government Waseem Shamshad, Members Board of Revenue Omar Farooq Bullo and Saleem Baloch, Secretary-cum-Director Larmis Saifullah Abro and others.

       Published in Dawn, July 24th, 2025