By 
2-12-2024
Markela Ndocaj
Pakistan Researcher,
Global Human Rights Defence.
Karachi remained short of 150MDG of water after a first burst a week ago, which caused many problems besides the obvious one of water shortage, such as the flooding of the main road near Karachi University.
The Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) promised a deadline of 72 hours for the repair work, which took a week for the water utility to complete the work instead, while the main line was found destroyed in a close section, decaying the restoration of the water supply and causing further unease.
In the areas of Clifton, Lyari, Gulshan-i-Iqbar, and Saddar as well as in old city areas, residents continuously suffered as the shortage of water persisted. It is expected to remain so for a few days, in order to overcome the past troubling week.
Additionally, as if the disruption in water supply didn’t pile enough miseries on the people, the damages and subsequent repair work caused an intense traffic jam, not only on the main University Road but especially in the adjoining areas, such as Gulshan-i-Iqbal and Gulistan-i-Jauhar.
Neighbourhoods such as Landhi or Korangi have also experienced water shortages, especially as some of their hydrants had been shut down, compounded by the suspension of online tanker services in the surrounding areas.
The damage caused to the water main was reportedly, yet again, due to the construction work on the Bus Rapid Transport (BRT) project, which is supposed to help increase the use of quality public transport in Karachi with a 26.6-kilometre (km) Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) Red Line corridor as well as its associated facilities, with the aim of benefiting 1.5 million people.
Even though the KWSG had previously shared the layout of its infrastructure with the BRT authorities, the problems persisted.
Sources and further readings:
Siddiqui, T., Dawn, ‘Water shortage persists in Karachi despite repair of major supply line’, December 10th, 2024.
Available at: https://www.dawn.com/news/1877788/water-shortage-persists-in-karachi-despite-repair-of-major-supply-line (Accessed December 10th, 2024).
Web Desk, Times of Karachi, ‘Water shortage continues in Karachi despite repair of major supply line’, December 10th, 2024.
Available at: https://timesofkarachi.pk/47842-water-shortage-continues-in-karachi-despite-repair-of-major-supply-line/ (Accessed December 10th, 2024).
Wright, Lloyd, F., Asian Development Bank (ADB), Pakistan : Karachi Bus Rapid Transit Red Line Project, July 2024.
Available at: https://www.adb.org/projects/47279-002/main (Accessed December 10th, 2024).
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