Businessmen call for immediate fixing of Karachi's infrastructure

Economists, architects, traders, and business leaders have appealed to the Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court (SHC) and the Sindh government to take serious notice of the rundown road infrastructure, collapsed sewerage system, and rampant pollution outside almost all business centres and markets in Karachi.

They expressed these concerns while speaking to The Express Tribune, noting that the economic hub of the country and port city has been transformed into a war-like zone where gutters and nullahs are overflowing, and 70% of the main roads have succumbed to dilapidation due to the blatant ineptitude of the city government, Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), District Municipal Corporations (DMCs), Karachi Development Authority (KDA), Lyari Development Authority (LDA), Malir Development Authority (MDA), Works and Services Department, Karachi Water & Sewerage Corporation (KWSC), and other concerned departments, plagued with corruption, mismanagement, and a lack of competence, with officers and staff who are paid salaries without work and receive kickbacks for any fair and legal endeavours.

They called for the development of a fully-fledged strategy or master plan to reconstruct the dilapidated road infrastructure, address ballooning encroachments such as food streets, parking lots, and stalls-cum-kiosks, lay proper sewerage lines, and control the increasing pollution outside main markets, including Liaquatabad, Saddar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Gulistan-e-Jauhar, old and new Subzi Mandi roads, Shara-e-Faisal, M A Jinnah Road, Kabari Market at Shershah, Malir, Korangi, Landhi, Orangi Town, Gulshan-e-Maymar, Gulshan-e-Hadeed, seven industrial zones, and others. These issues are reducing sales and escalating pollution in the port city.

Veteran architect, economist, and columnist Arif Hasan stated, "There is neither a master plan nor an institution that researches the two main issues, including dilapidated roads and the collapsed sewerage system. Without research, proper plans cannot be made, and without institutions, plans cannot be implemented."

He quoted government officials as stating that impoverished individuals often build homes on nullahs and drains. While efforts are made to remove these encroachments, such actions offer little benefit to the poor, who are left without adequate shelter and resources.

He explained that water naturally flows from north to south but encounters numerous obstacles due to roads that have been poorly raised by 10 to 12 feet, which causes sewage to become trapped at various points. Furthermore, with the sea level lower than the outfall level, it raises the question: how can sewage be effectively drained?

"The society of the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) raised roads, and there is only one solution: to demolish houses there," he added.

Karachi Citizens Forum Convener Nargis Rehman said there is a significant question mark over the government's performance in awarding contracts for roads and sewerage lines to contractors who have consistently disappointed Karachiites with substandard materials that are washed away by the first drop of monsoon rains or even normal rain.

She called for strict supervision, accountability, and monitoring during road construction so that timely action could be taken against malpractice. Allocating funds is less important; if the funds are spent honestly, it will be ample, she added.

All Karachi Tajir Ittehad Chairman Atiq Mir stated that 70% to 80% of the main roads outside shopping malls and markets are broken, forcing shoppers and traders to use alternative routes to avoid traffic gridlock multiple times a day, all while bearing the extra burden of fuel costs.

"Karachiites pay heavy taxes and not even 10% of these funds are allocated to the city's road infrastructure and sewerage system. Street crime increases in areas with deteriorating roads, while various mafias, such as those controlling water tankers, parking lots, and encroachments, monopolise services. The Chief Justice of the Sindh High Court must take suo motu notice of the Sindh government's ineptitude and address the grievances of the city's residents," he concluded.