It was once a simple walk. A few steps up the pedestrian bridge and you were across University Road, heading to class, work, or home. But for the past few months, that basic sense of safety has disappeared — and for thousands of students, teachers, and residents, even crossing the road has become a daily gamble with life.
Since the authorities began work on the Red Line BRT project, all footbridges along University Road have been removed — without any temporary or safe alternatives. The result? Chaos, fear, and, for some families, heartbreak.
“Every morning, I take a deep breath before crossing,” says Hina, a student at the University of Karachi. “I try to time it just right between the speeding buses and motorcycles. Sometimes it works. Sometimes I just close my eyes and run.”
She used to walk to university from her home in Gulistan-i-Jauhar. The footbridge near her stop made it easy and safe. But since its removal, she and her brother have had no choice but to take a rickshaw daily. “Our monthly commute used to cost Rs1,200. Now it’s over Rs5,000,” she says quietly. “That’s a huge burden for our family.”
She’s not alone.
Students from the University of Karachi, Federal Urdu University, and nearby colleges all share similar stories — of near-misses with cars, of being late to class, of spending money they don’t have just to feel safe.
“We’re not asking for luxury,” says another student. “We just want to cross the road without risking our lives.”
The absence of footbridges is especially dangerous for female students. Several have already been involved in accidents while trying to cross the wide, high-speed road. The situation is even more alarming considering that University Road remains one of Karachi’s busiest arteries — packed from dawn to dusk with buses, vans, cars, bikes, and now, construction material and ditches.
“My friend slipped on the broken steps of the bridge a few months ago,” recalled a student. “We thought they would fix it. But one day, it was just gone.”
A resident of Gulistan-i-Jauhar shared his frustration: “We’re crossing over half-built roads, weaving between construction debris and dust clouds — it’s dangerous for everyone, especially elders and children.”
The Red Line BRT project, aimed at modernizing Karachi’s public transport, began along University Road back in 2022. But progress has been painfully slow. In the meantime, people are not just facing traffic jams and pollution — they’re losing their sense of safety.
According to locals, the area now suffers from worsening air quality, congested traffic, broken roads, and hazardous walking conditions — all while the construction crawls forward.
What hurts most, they say, is the silence.
“We understand that development takes time,” says one teacher. “But can’t we at least get temporary crossings, traffic wardens, or something? How many more people have to get hurt before someone takes notice?”
Until then, students will keep running across the road — dodging cars, holding their bags tightly, and hoping they make it to the other side.
