Water mainline repaired after five days

Water supply may take another 24 hours to reach consumers

KARACHI:

Poor planning, negligence, and mismanagement by the Karachi Water and Sewerage Corporation (KWSC) have plunged large parts of the metropolis into an acute water crisis, as repair work on a 48-inch main line near Karachi University remained leaking for four days. It was finally plugged on Thursday, however, water supply will take another 24 hours to reach consumers.

The damaged line, part of the North East Pumping Station system, developed a major leak last week. Although the KWSC had initially claimed that repairs would be completed within 48 hours, by Wednesday night the work remained unfinished, crippling supply to vast sections of the city. As a result, water supply from key hydrants at NEPA, Safora, and Sakhi Hassan also remained suspended for the past three days, worsening the shortage across residential and commercial areas.

According to officials, the damaged line has disrupted nearly 35 to 40 per cent of the city's total supply. The worst-hit localities include Gulistan-e-Jauhar, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, the Federal B Area, North Nazimabad, Nazimabad, Liaquatabad, PIB Colony, and Malir, where residents have been without water for several days.

Citizens complain that they are now being forced to buy water from private tankers at exorbitant prices. Sources claim that commercial operations are quietly continuing from hydrants at NEPA, Safora, and Sakhi Hassan, despite their official suspension - a charge the KWSC denies. "The same hydrants that are supposed to be shut for maintenance are reportedly supplying water to private contractors," a KWSC source told The Express Tribune. Residents and civic activists have criticised the KWSC's handling of the situation, calling it a reflection of chronic mismanagement within the city's water infrastructure system.