Gulshan-e-Iqbal BRT Structure Collapses Near Baitul Mukarram Mosque, Duty Guard Killed

A section of an under-construction bridge near Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Karachi’s Gulshan-e-Iqbal collapsed today. Rescue 1122 said a duty guard died after being trapped under the debris.

A section of a bridge under construction collapsed near Baitul Mukarram Mosque in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on Thursday.

Rescue 1122 said the collapsed structure formed part of Karachi’s Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line project.

The victim was working as a duty guard at the construction site. He became trapped under the debris after the structure collapsed.

Rescue teams reached the site and recovered his body. Rescue 1122 later said the operation had ended. No other bodies or injured people were found under the debris.

Authorities have not yet stated what caused the structure to collapse.

Red Line Project Faces Delays

The incident comes as the Red Line BRT project continues to face construction delays.

The project was launched in 2022 with a 30 month completion target. The original deadline was June 2024. The project remains incomplete.

The project has two main sections. Lot 1 runs from Airport Signal to Mosamiyat. Lot 2 runs from Mosamiyat to Numaish.

TransKarachi terminated the Lot 2 contractor’s contract in April 2026 after citing delays and unsatisfactory performance. The organization also said an Asian Development Bank delegation had raised concerns about the pace and quality of work. The delegation also raised health, safety and environmental compliance concerns.

The Frontier Works Organization later started work on parts of the route. The work included the mixed-traffic corridor and drainage works along University Road.

The Asian Development Bank also recorded a complaint about the project in June 2026. The complaint cited construction delays linked to drainage, roads, safety and water supply. The bank marked the complaint eligible in July.

The cause of Thursday’s collapse remains unclear. No authority has yet linked the incident to the earlier project delays or safety concerns.