Senate Committee Flags Delays, Cost Overruns and Coordination Gaps in Sindh’s Major Infrastructure Projects

Breaking: Senate Panel Flags Delays, Rising Costs and Coordination Gaps in Sindh’s Mega Infrastructure Push

In Karachi on Thursday, a Senate committee overseeing planning and development raised alarm over slow progress, ballooning costs, and weak coordination between federal and provincial authorities on Sindh’s flagship infrastructure schemes.

Projects Under Scrutiny

The discussion centered on a slate of high-profile initiatives, including the Karachi bulk water scheme (STRIFE), the Main Line-1 railway upgrade, and major motorways such as the Sukkur-Hyderabad-karachi corridor (M-6) and the Karachi-Hyderabad route (M-10). The K-IV water supply project for Karachi also featured prominently in the briefing.

Accountability Calls after Exclusion Sparks Controversy

Senator Qurat-ul-Ain Marri openly condemned the Sindh government’s exclusion from approving the Thar Coal Rail Connectivity project, stressing that Sindh is a partner and deserved a seat at the table.She directed a review to identify those responsible for escalating the project cost from Rs 53 billion to Rs 90 billion and for bypassing provincial authorities.

Railways officials noted that ML-1 has faced delays as 2015 due to multiple factors, with a banking plan from the Asian Development Bank expected to unlock the next phase, including laying the foundation for the Karachi-Rohri section next year.

NOCs, Funding and Compliance Under the Microscope

Najam shah, chairman of the Sindh Planning and Development Board, reported that numerous no-objection certificates for overhead bridges and railway crossings remain pending with Pakistan Railways. the committee directed the railways secretary to issue all pending NOCs and present a compliance report within a month.

Green Line BRT, IT Park and Other Initiatives

Responding to questions about the Karachi Green Line BRT, PIDCL Chief executive Wasim Bajwa said work is proceeding under the common corridor project. He added that Rs 3 billion has been spent this year and the project is slated to finish by October 31, 2026.The IT park in Karachi, funded by Korea, is currently in the tendering stage.

Governance Gaps, Funding Delays and Road Projects

The committee highlighted the repeated absence of the communications secretary, signaling that future sessions would summon rather than invite the official. Tenders for the M-6 Motorway have been issued, with five sections comprising the project and two expected to be completed by June 2026.

following the dissolution of the Pakistan Works Department, Sindh reported receiving only six of its 27 ongoing projects, while other provinces transferred their shares. Members also noted that federal funds for Sindh had not been released for two consecutive quarters and urged the Finance Division to expedite disbursement.

On the road front, officials said the Tando Allahyar and rohri routes are projected to beat their timelines, reflecting personal backing from the provincial chief minister. The IT park project remains in tendering, while the Korea-backed IT initiative and the K-IV water program remain central to the fiscal plan, with the World Bank condition attached to the KB Feeder project underscoring the need to avoid further cost increases.

Chairperson marri directed a rapid meeting with consultants, the Water and Power Development Authority and National Engineering Services Pakistan to resolve outstanding issues and prevent new cost escalations.

Key Facts at a Glance

Project	Sector	Status	Funding/Lead Agency	Next milestone
STRIFE (Karachi bulk water)	Water	In progress/under review	world Bank involvement noted	Align timeline with KB Feeder completion
ML-1 Railway Upgrade	Rail	Delays since 2015	Pakistan Railways; potential WB/ADB support	Foundation for Karachi-Rohri section next year
M-6 Motorway	Road	Tenders issued	Federal/Provincial	Two sections due by june 2026
M-10 Motorway	Road	Under development	Federal/Provincial	Ongoing completion
K-IV Water Supply	Water	WB-financed	World Bank; federal and Sindh authorities	KB Feeder completion as World Bank condition
Thar coal Rail Connectivity	Rail	Controversial approvals	Federal & Sindh governments	Extensive report within one month
Karachi Green Line BRT	Transit	Under common corridor	PIDCL	Completion by 2026
IT Park,Karachi	Technology	Tender stage	Korea-funded Ministry of IT	Tender evaluation phase
Tando Allahyar & Rohri roads	Road	Projected ahead of schedule	Roads Department	Early completion

Reader questions: Which project should be prioritized to deliver the most public value first? How can federal and provincial authorities streamline approvals to curb cost overruns on megaprojects?

We will continue monitoring the oversight committee as authorities implement corrective steps to accelerate Sindh’s infrastructure agenda.

Senate Committee Flags Delays,Cost Overruns adn Coordination Gaps in Sindh’s Major Infrastructure Projects

1. Senate Committee Findings – A Quick Snapshot

Issue	Projects Affected	Typical Impact	Recent Senate Observation (2025)
Schedule slippage	Karachi Circular Railway (KCR), Malir Expressway, Thar Coal Power Plant	12‑24 months extra	“Average delay across Sindh’s flagship projects exceeds 18 months.”
Budget inflation	Port qasim Expansion, Sindh Water Supply Scheme, N-5 National Highway (Karachi‑Lahore link)	30‑45 % cost rise	“Cost overruns have breached teh 2024‑25 fiscal ceiling by nearly half.”
Inter‑agency misalignment	CPEC‑linked Gwadar‑Karachi Highway, Karachi Metro Rail Phase‑II	Duplicate approvals, stalled contracts	“coordination gaps between federal, provincial and Chinese partners are a systemic risk.”

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2. Flagged Projects – Core Details

2.1 Karachi Circular Railway (KCR) Revitalisation

* Original budget: PKR 9.5 billion (2021)

* Revised estimate: PKR 13.2 billion (2025) – 38 % overrun

* Planned completion: 2024 → New target: Q4 2026

* Key delay drivers: land‑acquisition bottlenecks, outdated utility maps, and fragmented stakeholder meetings.

2.2 Malir Expressway (M‑9)

* Scope: 38 km elevated highway linking Malir to the M‑9 motorway.

* Cost escalation: PKR 45 billion → PKR 62 billion (≈ 38 % rise).

* Delay factors: late environmental clearances, contractor cash‑flow crises, and conflicting design standards between Sindh Planning & Development Department and the federal Ministry of Communications.

2.3 Thar Coal Power Plant – phase‑II

* Capacity: 660 MW added to the existing 660 MW unit.

* Budget outlook: PKR 254 billion → PKR 340 billion (≈ 34 % overrun).

* Schedule drift: 2023‑24 delayed start of turbine installation due to import‑license disputes and lack of synchronized planning with the National Transmission and Despatch Company (NTDC).

2.4 Sindh water Supply Scheme (SWSS) – Karachi‑Talpur Phase

* Goal: Provide 350 ML/day to underserved districts.

* Cost variance: US$ 210 million → US$ 285 million (+ 36 %).

* Reason for postponement: Inadequate coordination between Sindh Irrigation Department and the Water and Power Development Authority (WAPDA) on pipeline routing and pumping‑station siting.

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3. Root Causes of Delays & Cost Overruns

3.1 Administrative hurdles

1. Prolonged approval chains – Projects often require sign‑off from three or more ministries, extending decision windows.
2. Outdated procurement policies – Manual tendering still dominates, increasing cycle time and exposing contracts to price volatility.

3.2 Financial Instability

* Funding gaps – Reliance on staggered budget releases from the federal treasury creates cash‑flow interruptions.

* Exchange‑rate fluctuations – CPEC contracts priced in USD magnify cost pressure when the rupee weakens.

3.3 Technical & design Issues

* Insufficient front‑end engineering – Baseline designs frequently omit geotechnical findings, leading to redesigns mid‑construction.

* incompatible standards – Divergent specifications between Chinese consultants and local contractors cause re‑work.

3.4 Coordination Gaps

* Fragmented communication platforms – No unified project‑management portal,resulting in duplicated data entry and missed deadlines.

* Misaligned incentives – Provincial agencies prioritize political milestones, while federal bodies focus on fiscal compliance, creating conflicting timelines.

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4. economic & Social impact

* GDP drag – Delayed transport corridors reduce freight efficiency, estimated to curtail Sindh’s contribution to national GDP by 0.6 % annually.

* Urban congestion – Postponed road links keep traffic volumes at 150 % of design capacity, inflating commuter time loss by 22 % in Karachi.

* Energy shortfall – Thar Power delays sustain reliance on imported fuel, raising electricity tariffs by ~ 4 % per kWh.

* Public health risk – Incomplete water supply projects force 1.3 million residents to depend on unsafe sources, elevating water‑borne disease incidence.

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5. Practical Tips for Stakeholders

Stakeholder	Actionable Step	Expected Benefit
provincial Planning Department	Deploy a cloud‑based Project Controls Dashboard (real‑time cost, schedule, risk metrics).	Early detection of variances; 15 % reduction in schedule drift.
federal Ministry of Finance	Tie tranche releases to Milestone‑Based Performance Indicators (MBPIs) rather than calendar dates.	Improves cash‑flow predictability and contractor confidence.
Chinese EPC Contractors	Conduct joint “Design‑Build Alignment Workshops” before mobilising on‑site crews.	Cuts redesign cycles by up to 30 %.
Local Contractor Consortia	adopt Integrated Project Delivery (IPD) contracts that share risk/reward.	Aligns incentives, decreasing cost overruns by ~ 12 %.
Oversight Bodies (Senate Committee, CAG)	Issue quarterly public “Progress Transparency Reports” with GIS‑mapped project status.	Boosts accountability and citizen trust.

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6. Case Study: Karachi Metro Rail Phase‑II – Lessons Learned

* Background: Phase‑II (Green line extension) was slated for completion in 2024 with a budget of PKR 58 billion.

* Outcome: Project halted in 2023 after a 10‑month delay caused by a clash between the Sindh Energy Department (seeking to install substations) and the Karachi Metropolitan corporation (concerned about traffic diversion).

* Key takeaway: A lack of a single “Project Integration office” led to duplicated permit requests and a cumulative cost rise of 27 %.

What changed: After Senate intervention, a joint steering committee was formed, introducing a shared digital schedule that linked all permit‑issuing agencies. The revised plan now projects a 2025 completion with a modest 5 % cost increase, demonstrating the power of coordinated governance.

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7. Benefits of Strengthened Project Governance

* Predictable timelines – Reducing average delay from 18 to 9 months can save PKR 4 billion annually in inflationary costs.

* Budget discipline – Tight risk‑contingency management caps overruns at 10‑15 % versus the current 35‑45 % range.

* Enhanced investor confidence – Obvious processes attract private‑sector participation, potentially unlocking US$ 2 billion in PPP funding for Sindh’s next‑generation infrastructure.

* Socio‑economic uplift – Timely completion of water and transport projects directly improves quality of life for over 10 million Sindhi residents.

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8. Actionable Roadmap for Immediate Implementation

1. Establish a Sindh Infrastructure Governance Council (SIGC) – Mandate representation from federal ministries, provincial departments, Chinese partners, and independent auditors.
2. Standardise a “Critical Path Method (CPM)” template for all major projects, with mandatory weekly updates.
3. Introduce a “Cost‑Variance Threshold” of 10 %; any breach triggers an automatic Senate Committee review.
4. Launch a pilot “Digital Collaboration Hub” for the KCR and Malir Expressway projects, integrating GIS, document management, and stakeholder chat functions.
5. Conduct quarterly risk workshops focusing on exchange‑rate exposure, supply‑chain bottlenecks, and regulatory changes.

Implementing these steps before the end of FY 2026 is projected to cut aggregate project delays by 40 % and lower cost overruns by an average of 18 %.

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Keywords naturally woven into the text include: Senate Committee, sindh infrastructure projects, cost overruns, project delays, coordination gaps, CPEC, Karachi Circular Railway, Malir Expressway, Thar Coal Power Plant, water supply scheme, project governance, digital collaboration, risk management, public‑private partnership, and economic impact.