Mayor Murtaza Wahab announced that the Karachi Port Trust (KPT) Flyover, a critical multi-level interchange in Karachi, will remain closed for one month starting April 24, 2025, for essential repair and maintenance work to ensure structural safety. Concurrently, the city faces widespread protests over prolonged power outages, exacerbating traffic disruptions and public frustration during ongoing economic challenges.
The Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC) initiated repairs to address structural concerns on the KPT Flyover, one of Karachi’s earliest multi-level bridges, known for its unique merging and exiting ramps. To mitigate commuter impact, the KMC and Karachi Traffic Police have implemented a diversion plan, redirecting traffic via alternative routes like Shahrah-e-Faisal and Jinnah Bridge. As Dawn News reported, Mayor Wahab urged citizens to follow these routes to avoid congestion. The closure coincides with Sindh’s broader infrastructure strain, as seen in the recent National Highway blockade.
Power Outage Protests
Simultaneously, Karachi grapples with severe electricity outages, sparking protests in areas like Liaquatabad, Azizabad, and Korangi. Residents, enduring 10–12-hour daily cuts amid extreme heat, block roads, burn tyres, and chant against K-Electric and government authorities, causing gridlock on Shahrah-e-Pakistan and other arteries.
میئر کراچی مرتضیٰ وہاب نے اپنے ویڈیو پیغام میں کہا ہے کہ کے پی ٹی فلائی اوور کو مرمتی کام کی وجہ سے ٹریفک کے لئے بند کیا جا رہا ہے۔ تعمیراتی کام کے دوران شہری متبادل راستے اختیارکریں۔#TOKAlert #KptFlyOver #MurtazaWahab pic.twitter.com/QhnwZ1DrXu
— Times of Karachi (@TOKCityOfLights) April 23, 2025The flyover closure and power outages compound Karachi’s economic woes, following a 2,485-point KSE-100 index drop linked to India-Pakistan tensions. The KPT Flyover, handling 60,000 vehicles daily, is vital for port-related trade, and its closure risks supply chain delays, echoing the Sindh blockade’s impact (3,500 stranded trucks). Fueled by 5.1% inflation and heatwaves, the protests underscore systemic utility failures, with K-Electric citing fuel shortages.
The KPT Flyover repairs are necessary for safety, but the one-month closure, without a clear timeline, risks prolonged trade disruptions, especially for Karachi Port’s $1.2B monthly exports. The traffic plan, while proactive, may overwhelm alternate routes like Shahrah-e-Faisal, which is already congested. Power protests, driven by legitimate grievances, further disrupt mobility, but road blockades exacerbate economic losses, mirroring the Sindh highway crisis.
