The Construction & Real Estate Prospects of Malir Expressway
Ever since the Sindh government laid the foundation stone of the Malir Expressway in December 2020, Karachi has entered into a new era of development. The Malir Expressway is set to improve the transport system in the city and get rid of traffic congestion at the Superhighway. However, it has already accelerated inhabiting various under-development housing schemes, situated alongside M-9 Motorway. Altogether, the development has brought positive impacts on real estate, building materials logistics and overall construction industry.
The Project will develop a 4-lane dualized expressway along the Malir River and will serve as a new southern alternative route. The 3 x3 lane highway runs along the Malir river, starting from Korangi Creek Avenue (DHA) and ending at Karachi-Hyderabad Motorway (M-9) via the existing Link Road.
Project Details
The Malir Expressway project’ estimated cost is Rs 28 billion and executed under a public private partnership model. It is to be 38.5 kilometres-long with 30.9 meters width, having six interchanges and six lanes as well as five bridges and five weigh bridges. It aims to facilitate travelling between Qayumabad and Kathore or DHA-V111 to DHA-City, but would be advantageous mostly for people living alongside the Superhighway and adjacent areas.
The Environment Impact Assessment report of the project states “upon completion in 3 years, the travelling time from Karachi-Hyderabad motorway, M-9, to KPT interchange on the main Korangi Road will be reduced to only 30 minutes”. It also claims the Expressway will cause least environmental and social damages due to lesser travel distance and time. The route will also provide a natural deterance (due to embankments) in the seasonal urban flooding during heavy monsoon rains in Karachi.
Real Estate Prospects
There are three main housing schemes in the developing phase alongside M-9, namely DHA City, Bahria Town Karachi and ASF City. Among them the DHA is the earliest one which started in 2011 and covers area of 11,640 acre. ASF is the newest one and is being developed on only 3000 acre. Compared to both of them, Bahria Town is the biggest scheme in terms of area which covers 46,000 acre of area. Although, the phase of accommodation and living inside the ASF and DHA City is still far ahead, however in Bahria Town more than 25000 residents are already living right now and it is getting more populated with each passing day.
 Construction Prospects
Already a lot of construction activities can be witnessed at the site of Malir Expressway. The multi-billion dollar project is aggressively procuring hundreds of tons of gravel, pavers, aggregate and other materials for road construction. Asphalt and concrete plants have been installed at the project sites. Machineries and a sizable team of labour and workers are employed and constantly engaged in the process of mega development project, which is going to transform the ways of commutation and logistics in the Metropolitan.
