Lyari River (Urdu: دریائے لیاری) is a small ephemeral stream that flows through the Pakistani megacity of Karachi from north east to the center and drains into the Arabian Sea at the Manora channel.

With many squatter settlements groomed in the river's surroundings, the occasional floods started causing human and property loss.

The project comprises a 16.5 kilometre (10¼ mile) stretch of elevated expressway running along both sides of the river, cutting through the city to Karachi Port, as an extension/alternative to the Northern Bypass.

The work commenced in 2002 without any public consensus, as a result of which large numbers of houses and schools were demolished on account of being informal settlements.

The measures were strongly opposed by the affected population, community groups, civil society organizations and NGOs on the grounds that at least 200,000 families would have to be displaced from the development sites in addition to the economic and environmental costs.