KARACHI: University students and citizens are facing serious problems crossing University Road after the removal of all pedestrian bridges for the Red Line Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) project.
According to the newspaper report, the authorities removed the footbridges around three months ago to make way for BRT construction. Since then, the road has become extremely dangerous for pedestrians, especially female students, who now have to cross in the middle of fast-moving traffic.
Several accidents have already been reported, including those involving female students from the University of Karachi and the Federal Urdu University of Arts, Science and Technology.
With no safe way to cross, many students have been forced to spend more money on rickshaws and other public transport just to get across the road. “Earlier, my daily travel was cheap and easy. Now, my brother and I have to take a rickshaw every day, and our monthly expense has increased from Rs1,200 to almost Rs5,000,” said a KU student.
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Another student said, “It’s risky for both students and teachers. We used to cross easily before. Now, crossing this busy road is like putting your life in danger. Accidents have already happened. It also wastes time and affects our studies.”
One student recalled how a fellow female student was injured due to a broken stair on one of the bridges before it was removed. “I was hoping it would be repaired, but instead, the entire bridge was taken down,” she said.
Residents of nearby areas like Gulistan-i-Jauhar also expressed concern. “There are no footbridges now. We have to cross the road carefully, avoiding both fast traffic and dangerous construction materials lying around,” a local resident said.
Work on the Red Line BRT began in 2022 and has been progressing slowly. The construction has caused many problems, including air pollution, traffic jams, damaged roads, and difficult walking paths, making daily life harder for people in the area.
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