87% work on new Hub canal project completed: Murtaza Wahab

Mayor Karachi Barrister Murtaza Wahab, said that 87% of the work for the construction of a new canal to supply water from the Hub Dam to Karachi has been completed.

Mayor Karachi stated, “We had promised to complete this project within a year, and In Sha Allah, by August 2025, 100 million gallons of water per day will be supplied to the citizens of Karachi through this canal. In addition, the old canal is also being rehabilitated so that more water can be brought to Karachi.”

"The promises made by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Asif Ali Zardari to resolve Karachi's water issues will be fulfilled on a priority basis," said Mayor Murtaza Wahab. "Every member of the Pakistan Peoples Party is fully committed to solving Karachi’s problems.I will congratulate the staff working on the Hub Canal project; they should continue to work with the same dedication to complete this task."

He made these remarks while inspecting the site of the new canal construction at the Hub Dam on Tuesday. On this occasion, Deputy Parliamentary Leader of the City Council, Dil Muhammad, Jumman Darwan, and other leaders of Pakistan Peoples Party were also present.

Murtaza Wahab stated, "The existing canal supplying water from the Hub Dam to Karachi is 45 to 46 years old, and due to significant leakage and seepage, it has been unable to provide the required 100 million gallons per day. In response to this issue, the Pakistan Peoples Party government decided to construct a new canal from the Hub Dam to Karachi to effectively address the city's water shortage."

"Not only will the construction of the new canal ensure the supply of 100 million gallons of water per day to Karachi, but the old canal will also be repaired to provide additional water to various areas of the city," he added. "The earthworks for the new canal from the Hub Dam have been almost completed, and now the project is rapidly moving towards completion," he mentioned.

He said, "The Pakistan Peoples Party is serving the public in line with its manifesto, and development works are ongoing across various sectors, including water and sewerage. The Sindh government has allocated funds in its budget to improve Karachi’s basic infrastructure, including roads, bridges, and underpasses."

"All development projects are being carried out in a transparent manner with a strong focus on quality," he continued. "The citizens of Karachi are witnesses to the fact that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation and other institutions are actively playing their roles in solving the city's problems."

"Effective strategies have been adopted to address the issues faced by people in different areas of the city, and now, the citizens are witnessing the tangible benefits of these efforts," he said.

Damaged water pipeline on Karachi's University Road repaired

Karachi’s water supply has resumed following the completion of repair work on the 84-inch water line on University Road, which had ruptured last month, causing widespread disruptions in water distribution across the city, according to the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KW&SC).

The damage occurred on November 29 when the pipeline burst during the ongoing construction work for the Red Line project. Repair work began on December 3 and continued around the clock, with teams working in shifts to restore the line, Express News reported.

The rupture resulted in a loss of thousands of gallons of water daily, forcing the closure of several Dhabeji water pumps and cutting off supply to various parts of Karachi, including Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Safoora, Bahadurabad, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Saddar, Lyari, and parts of New MA Jinnah Road and Jamshed Road.

As a result, KW&SC had urged residents in the affected areas to conserve water, as the repair work was anticipated to result in a loss of 150 million gallons of water per day.

A spokesperson for KW&SC confirmed that the repair work was nearing completion, with an expected full restoration within the next 14 hours. The operation, which involved over 300 labourers working in three shifts, was supervised by Chief Engineer WTM Zafar Palijo.

One of the main challenges during the repair process was the extensive de-silting of the pipeline. Drilling machines used for constructing large pillars for the Red Line had inadvertently punctured the water line in two places, resulting in 16-foot-long holes.

To prevent further water loss, debris, stones, and concrete were used to seal the holes, which resulted in 96 feet of accumulated concrete across six sections of the pipe.

Heavy machinery was deployed to facilitate the repairs, which were carried out under the supervision of Superintendent Engineers Tanveer Sheikh, Abdul Aziz, and Muhammad Siddique Tanyu. With the repairs complete, KW&SC assured the public that the water supply to the affected areas would be restored in full.