The government of Sindh, a province in south-east Pakistan, has issued a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the Malir Expressway project to qualified bidders.

The project involves the construction, financing, operation, maintenance and transfer of an access-controlled 39.4km expressway located to the south-east of Karachi, the provincial capital. The estimated total investment is PKR40 billion (~US$285 million).

The six-lane dualized highway, designed for high-speed traffic, will start before Jam Sadiq River Bridge on Korangi Road and end near Kathore at the junction of existing Link Road and M-9 motorway, facilitating the transport of thousands of commuters and heavy traffic to the city centre from Karachi port, Korangi industrial area, Landhi industrial area, steel mills, Port Qasim and other such areas through the national and super highways.

The selected private partner will also modify the 2.4 km exiting portion of Link Road and the existing Trumpet Interchange on M-9 to meet the design requirements of the expressway.

Through providing a strategic link to the M-9, the expressway will form the main passageway to DHA City, Bahria Town, Education City, and several real estate schemes in the vicinity of the motorway.

The main objective of the project is to meet the increased traffic demand on account of increased economic activities in the north of Karachi. The expressway will serve as the southern alternative route for carrying traffic of the port and industrial areas to the main highways in the city.

Proposals are due on 5 March 2019. The government plans to announce the preferred bidder on 19 April, aiming to sign the concession contract by 4 May 2019. 

Construction of the expressway is expected to take 30 months. Following substantial completion, the private partner will operate and maintain the expressway for 25 years.