1 killed as under construction Red Line structure collapses on Karachi’s University Road

1 killed as under construction Red Line structure collapses on Karachi's University Road.

Key points

• Imtiaz Ali Published October 1, 2026 Updated October 2, 2026 12: 11am.
• Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan afterwards informed Dawn that they received information regarding the collapse of the BRT structure at around 5: 30am.
• The body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and his identity could not be ascertained immediately, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson remarked.
• After commencement of the work in early 2022, the project was initially scheduled for completion by 2023.
• After the removal of a number of bottlenecks after the chief minister's intervention, the stalled construction on the Red Line had resumed in November 2025.

Imtiaz Ali Published October 1, 2026 Updated October 2, 2026 12: 11am. Join our Whatsapp Channel. Add Dawn as a trusted source.

KARACHI: A person whose clothes remarked "security guard" and who had a whistle was killed on Wednesday after an under-construction bridge structure of the Red Line project collapsed near Baitul Mukarram mosque in Gulshan-I-Iqbal, according to a Rescue 1122 spokesperson.

Rescue 1122 initially identified the deceased as a security guard but afterwards stated his identity could not be confirmed.

Rescue 1122 spokesperson Hassaanul Haseeb Khan afterwards informed Dawn that they received information regarding the collapse of the BRT structure at around 5: 30am. He remarked the structure was installed for the construction of a U-turn and the reason for its collapse could not be ascertained.

Notably, the urban rescue team reached the scene within three minutes of receiving the information, he continued.

"Since the deceased had a whistle and the term 'security guard' was written on his clothes, we assumed he was a security guard. Nevertheless, afterwards on, relevant BRT project authorities informed us that the deceased was not their security guard and he might be a drug addict who was passing through the area or was sleeping under it, " he remarked.

Notably, the body was shifted to Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre and his identity could not be ascertained immediately, the Rescue 1122 spokesperson remarked.

In practice, the collapse comes as work on the Red Line project continues. Last week, Sindh Senior Minister Sharjeel Inam Memon remarked efforts were underway to complete the ongoing work and restore traffic flow on University Road.

After the removal of a number of bottlenecks after the chief minister's intervention, the stalled construction on the Red Line had resumed in November 2025. Meanwhile, thousands of University Road commuters continue to face daily hardships.

Designed to cover around 27 kilometres from Malir Halt to Numaish via University Road, the BRT Red Line project was confirmed in 2017 with an initial cost of around Rs79 billion.

After commencement of the work in early 2022, the project was initially scheduled for completion by 2023. It was afterwards pushed to 2024 and subsequently extended to the end of 2026.

Various factors have been cited by authorities to justify these delays, including disputes with contractors, safety stoppages, rising construction costs due to depreciation of the rupee, difficulties in land acquisition, relocation of utilities and coordination failures between implementing agencies.

Imtiaz Ali is a Karachi-based reporter for Dawn with over 25 years of experience in the field. His reporting portfolio encompasses crime, politics, and the provincial legislature, alongside coverage of the courts, administration affairs, and the health sector.

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